Empire - User contributions [en]

Imperial Constitution

2026-05-15T21:56:22Z

Rosemary: /* The Imperial Constitution */ please save me from the nasal bees it's just a misplaced apostrophe

==Overview==
The constitution was produced at the dawn of the Empire, by the [[First Empress]] and her supporters. It is a set of axioms which dictate how the Empire can be governed and the rights of the nations of the Empire and their citizens. Although it is possible to change the constitution, it is intentionally difficult to do so and impossible until The Throne is occupied. Even then, the NPCs of the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] must ratify any changes to the constitution or to the way it is interpreted.

==Purpose==
The point of the constitution is to ensure that Empire remains an enjoyable game to play. Senators have wide ranging powers to change the laws of the Empire, but the constitution exists to reduce the chance that they use these powers to make the game less enjoyable. It inhibits players from reducing the complexity of the political system and tries to prevent them using undue power in the Senate to punitively victimize disenfranchised groups. Ultimately the constitution limits the powers of players in the interest of keeping the game fun. Any attempt to change the constitution which we believe will adversely affect the enjoyment of the game will not be ratified by the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] .

==The Imperial Constitution==
<ic>
In concord with the representatives of our great nations, we declare the founding of our Empire<sup>[[#24|(24)]]</sup>. Let us be joined together by common destiny; to build a great Empire; to serve and protect its people; to let them prosper and achieve greatness and spread across the face of Creation together in unity.

Let this constitution set out the strong principles upon which our Empire will be founded; to serve as the solid base upon which we will build our glorious undertaking; and to mandate the responsibilities and duties of our people, our nations and our Imperial future.

By signing these accords of Empire we<sup>[[#1|(1)]]</sup> agree to be joined in a single union to be governed in accordance with the principles of this constitution.

We shall be united in law and policy, but free to maintain the traditions that have made each of us strong. The nations of our Empire will be embodied by the spirit of an egregore, created to preserve its essential character. Our Empire will recognize as citizens those whose oath to accept the culture of a nation; to honour the virtues of the Way, and to support the laws of the Empire<sup>[[#2|(2)]]</sup>, is accepted by those egregore.

To these citizens we will guarantee dignity<sup>[[#3|(3)]]</sup>, freedom<sup>[[#4|(4)]]</sup>, and prosperity<sup>[[#5|(5)]]</sup>. Each citizen that owns land or property will tithe annually wealth equal to a single crown<sup>[[#6|(6)]]</sup> to be used in service of the Empire that protects them. Citizens shall not hold more than one high office at a time and must exercise their powers in person<sup>[[#7|(7)]]</sup>; those whose virtue causes them to be offered numerous Imperial titles must choose between them. In this way no citizen shall accumulate so much responsibility that they consider themselves better than their fellows.

The Throne shall lead the Empire and represent her in all things. It shall be a beacon to her people and a terror to her enemies. Whenever the Throne sits in the great councils laid out in this constitution, then their voice shall carry the greatest weight<sup>[[#8|(8)]]</sup>.

The Civil Service shall serve The Throne and the people, and be bound in oaths of loyalty to the Empire<sup>[[#9|(9)]]</sup>. They will be civil in their dealings and treat each citizen by their virtues, without prejudice or favour regardless of wealth, nationality or title. They will choose amongst them those who will serve as magistrates, to ensure the law is a friend to no-one but instead the servant and the master of all.

The Senate shall ensure the good governance of the Empire. The Senate will assume responsibility for relations with other nations, for the creation of just laws and for the allocation of Imperial taxes as the Senate sees fit, by majority vote. The confirmation of the Empress's<sup>[[#10|(10)]]</sup> right to occupy the Throne requires the approval of the greater majority of senators<sup>[[#11|(11)]]</sup>. Matters of similar weight<sup>[[#12|(12)]]</sup> require similar consideration and the approval of the Throne and must be ratified by the magistrates to ensure that this constitution is protected<sup>[[#13|(13)]]</sup>.

Each territory of the Empire<sup>[[#14|(14)]]</sup> will elect a single senator to participate in the Senate, according to the traditions of the nation that claims it. Territorial nationality shall be decided by vote of the existing Senate, where it is legitimately disputed<sup>[[#15|(15)]]</sup>.

The Military Council shall ensure the rigorous defence of the Empire. Each nation in the Empire will raise armies as directed by the Senate. The Senate will appoint a general for each army, but only where the will of the nation in this matter is not clear<sup>[[#16|(16)]]</sup>. The Military Council will execute the strategy of war without interference from the Senate. If the Throne finds complaint with the worst of their number then she may carry the burden of their office until an acceptable replacement may be found.

The Civil Service will ensure that those who soldier to defend our Empire will be equipped and provisioned to meet this challenge. Citizens who render two years' service to the Military Council will receive 50 acres of land or equivalent wealth or property if land is not to be had.

The Synod shall ensure the virtuous behaviour of the Empire. The Synod will remove from Imperial office those whose behaviour is deemed unvirtuous whether they sit upon the Throne; serve the people in the Senate or on the Military Council or in the Civil Service; or serve within the councils of the Synod itself.<sup>[[#17|(17)]]</sup> The Synod will ensure the behaviour of individual citizens does not debase the Empire.

Those who stand in the Synod shall express the views of their congregation. The Synod will establish assemblies that each may know their virtue and select the most virtuous amongst them to lead. Voting in the Synod will be performed by such assemblies as are rightfully able to weigh the virtue of an action or individual, in accord with their nationality and authority. The civil service will render to these priests such liao as is needed to minister to their congregation. The Throne and those amongst them with the greatest virtue will be given True Liao to distribute as they see fit, excepting one dose which shall be rendered to whichever citizen has demonstrated the greatest prosperity, in service of the Synod.

The Conclave<sup>[[#18|(18)]]</sup> shall ensure the fit and proper use of magic in the service of the Empire. They will identify those arcane practitioners whose arts work against the Empire, so that they may be condemned. The Conclave will accord a voice to those citizens who demonstrate command of magic and demonstrate the necessary commitment to the authority of the Conclave. The Conclave will appoint leaders who will assist in the allocation of such resources as are needed to further its aims; it shall be guided by fraternities of magicians under the general aegis of the Senate, and without interference from the Synod<sup>[[#19|(19)]]</sup>.

The Bourse<sup>[[#20|(20)]]</sup> shall control access to those resources that are essential to the prosperity of any great empire. Appointment to the Bourse shall be established by auction and shall be free of all interference of the Senate, or from the Synod<sup>[[#21|(21)]]</sup>. Such resources as are already controlled by the Imperial nations shall remain in the careful custody of those Nations; those that are discovered or conquered after the founding of the Empire may be eligible to any Imperial citizens. The funds raised by the Bourse through distribution of its estates will remit what profit they can support to the Senate<sup>[[#22|(22)]]</sup>.

No coin may be accepted that has not been produced in the Mint<sup>[[#23|(23)]]</sup> and which does not bear the rightful stamp of The Throne.

By these principles, councils, and virtues we agree to be governed in perpetuity; not as chains of unchanging servitude, but as inspiration to exalt us and drive our great endeavour.
</ic>

==Commentary on the constitution==
# {{anchor|1}}One copy of the Imperial constitution was created for each of the eight nations present at the creation of the Empire. Further copies were created when Urizen and later the Imperial Orcs joined the Empire. All original copies of the constitution are stored in the capital in Highguard.
#{{anchor|2}}The wording to “support the laws” rather than simply uphold or obey the laws is used to justify the requirement for all citizens to render all reasonable service to a magistrate when required.
#{{anchor|3}}The guarantee of citizens' “dignity” is always invoked when citizens or senators attempt to propose motions or laws that would restrict or require particular dress codes or speech. It is occasionally seen as a rebuke for individuals who are perceived to be wasting the Senate's time with frivolous motions.
#{{anchor|4}}The guarantee of citizens' “freedom” ensures that slavery of Imperial citizens is illegal throughout the Empire, but it also prevents incarceration for crimes committed, a punishment common in some foreign nations. The guarantees originally only extended to Imperial citizens, but the joining of the Imperial Orcs to the Empire was conditional on this protection being extended to all ‘people’. It required a constitutional vote of the Senate to change the interpretation of the constitution such that that guarantee of “freedom” was taken to outlaw all slavery. In Winter 382 the constitution was amended as part of the [[Ratify_Liberty_Pact|Liberty Pact]] to define hylje and daeva as people.
#{{anchor|5}}The guarantee of citizens' “prosperity” is presented by nations like the League and the Brass Coast as proof that the Empress intended citizens to be able to pursue their own wealth and prosperity without consideration for the Empire itself. It has been used countless times to rule unconstitutional motions and laws intended to raise additional taxes for the Senate or to seize control of the estates of the Bourse. As a result taxation remains fixed at levels laid out in the constitution.
#{{anchor|6}}In the original document this amount was rendered as “a measure of silver coin” but was amended when [[Emperor Giovanni]] founded the Imperial Mint and the Empire moved to the modern [[currency]] of rings, crowns and thrones.
#{{anchor|7}}“No citizen shall hold more than one high office at a time” expresses the clear restriction that no citizen can hold two offices of state at one time. All attempts to define individual Imperial titles and positions as outside this restriction have always been ruled to be unconstitutional.
#{{anchor|8}}The phrase “their voice shall carry the greatest weight” has changed interpretation several times since the beginning of the Empire. However in all cases the clause that The Throne must be present to exert their powers remains pivotal. Emperors and Empresses have regularly been forced to choose in which council they will sit; although their power is considerable, it cannot be used after the fact.
#{{anchor|9}}“Oaths of loyalty to the Empire” - this paragraph establishes the role of the Civil Service. These oaths are rarely spoken of in public, but they are believed to include powerful hearth magic that guarantees the probity of those who serve.
#{{anchor|10}}Although the wording is the same on all copies of the constitution, citizens of any gender are able to assume the Throne.
#{{anchor|11}}Most motions before the Senate are decided by majority vote of those Senators present. The “greater majority of Senators” requires the support of two-thirds of all the senators of the Empire, whether or not they are present or have even been elected.
#{{anchor|12}}“Matters of similar weight” is taken to indicate any law or ruling that would change the constitution or its interpretation, or change the balance of powers between the different bodies of the Empire. The practical implication of this is that while the constitution can be changed, the Senate may only do so by a vote of the greater majority (commonly referred to as a constitutional vote).
#{{anchor|13}}“Founding principles are protected” empowers the Magistrates to refuse to allow changes to the law and the constitution which are deemed to not be in accordance with the founding principles of the Empire. There have been three attempts by the Senate and the Throne to force through the implementation of laws that were deemed unconstitutional since the founding of the Empire; two attempts to increase taxation in the Empire and one attempt to limit the power of the Synod. All three attempts were firmly rebuffed by the Civil Service and were ultimately abandoned.
#{{anchor|14}}The Civil Service use a combination of magic and essential geographic features like rivers and mountain ranges to identify a territory. These are divided into regions. The civil service define a “territory of the Empire” as any territory where the majority of the regions in the territory are under Imperial control. Any territory where the majority of regions are not under Imperial control does not receive representation in the Senate.
#{{anchor|15}}The nationality of a conquered territory has only been disputed once in the history of the Empire, when the city of Holberg surrendered to the League, after the surrounding regions were conquered by Dawnish forces. The ensuing Senate vote confirmed that Holberg would be treated as a League territory. Attempts by Dawnish senators to introduce a motion to over-turn this decision in Dawn's favour were ruled to be unconstitutional, due to the absence of any factors that meant that Holberg's status was “legitimately disputed”.
#{{anchor|16}}The “will of the Nation” is taken to mean the unanimous decision of the senators appointed to represent that nation in the Senate. Only where a unanimous decision cannot be reached does the appointment of the generals fall to a majority vote of the whole Senate.
#{{anchor|17}}The Synod have in the past removed senators, generals, cardinals, civil servants and even an [[Empress_Brannan|empress]]. They do not have the ability to remove the officers of the Conclave; neither do they have the ability to remove citizens from seats on the Bourse.
#{{anchor|18}}These provisions regarding the Conclave were added during the reign of Emperor Giovanni the Peacemaker. Previous references to the Conclave were aspirational - “We shall establish a body of magicians to use magic to strengthen and protect the Empire.” It was not until Giovanni brought the Urizen into the Empire that the Conclave in its current form took shape.
#{{anchor|19}}The Orders of the Conclave are created and dissolved by the Senate, rather than the Synod. The magicians who helped to form the Conclave were adamant in their belief that they should serve the Empire, not the Synod. In theory, a constitutional change could be used to grant the Synod powers over the Conclave, but to date no such attempts have been successful.
#{{anchor|20}}These provisions regarding the Bourse were added during the reign of Emperor Giovanni the Peacemaker. Previous references to the Bourse were aspirational - “We shall establish a market to protect the economic interest of the citizens from those who would exploit or tax them in the name of good government.” The restriction on access to the resources is interpreted to mean access to the mines, forests and other resources which produce mithril, weirwood, white granite and ilium in large quantities, not the actual materials themselves. There are no legal restrictions on the purchase and sale of such materials in the Empire.
#{{anchor|21}}Although the Bourse enjoys immunity from revocation (like the Conclave), its members are still subject to excommunication, as this power is considered to be used against the individual - not the office they hold.
#{{anchor|22}}The paragraph about resources was added during the reign of Empress Mariika, who oversaw an extensive modification of the role and responsibility of the Bourse. She ensured that the profits raised by auctions in the Bourse went to the Senatorial treasury.
#{{anchor|23}}In the original document this amount was rendered as “a measure of silver coin” but was amended when Emperor Giovanni founded the Imperial Mint and the Empire moved to the modern [[currency]] of rings, crowns and thrones.
#{{anchor|24}}In the original document this wording was "In concord with the representatives of the great nation of humanity, we declare the founding of our Empire." It was [[Amend_the_Imperial_Constitution|amended]] by a constitutional vote in Spring 381.

[[Category:The Law]]
[[Category:The Empire]]

387YE Winter Solstice Synod judgements

2026-05-03T19:56:10Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 121 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Winter]]
==Overview==
During the Winter Solstice 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised TBC judgements.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| ??
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 11
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 2
|-
|[[#Revocation|Revocation]] || 1
|-
|[[#Proscription|Proscription]] || 15
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 11
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 15
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 14
|-
|}
</div>

==Mandate==
===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament with 50 doses of liao to encourage our courageous soldiers to stand apart from these servants of eternals. Seek out falsehood and expose the truth.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (678-12)
* '''Enacted''' Highborn soldiers [[The_thing_with_feathers#In_the_Fields_of_Glory_(Eleonaris)|will deliberately keep their distance from any heralds]] sent to fight alongside them.

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Harwyn Eternal
* '''Judgement:''' The Terunael city of Hacynian has passed into history, ruined by the vallorn. We send Towlen Nighthaven with 25 liao to urge the folk of Hercynia. To swear an oath that neither they nor their ancestors will seek to rebuild Hacynian. Accept its passing as a sacrifice for future free of the folly of Terunael.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (223-16)
* '''Enacted:''' Kaela will provide her support for the construction of [[Every_path_you_know#Beware_of_Dog|the Grim Pryamid]] in the Starless Vale.
__TOC__
===Judgement 71===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Brynn Tendfallen with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with Urizen to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (267-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Beware the seduction of the false virtue of Anarchy! We send Azir i Shartha i Riqueza with 150 doses of liao to rally the people of the Brass Coast to turn away from those who would revel in false freedoms. Reject Anarchy, lest your virtue be lost! Let virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (42-96)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Joran of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth! We send Joran of Reikos with 25 doses of liao to rally the people of Highguard to use their well-earned skills to find those who betray the people of Sarvos. Let Virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (552-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn congregations can [[Finding_is_the_final_act#Expose_the_Truth|lecture to citizens to investigate Sarvos]].

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Viviane Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth! We send Viviane Barossa with 25 liao to rally the people of the League to use their well-earned skills to find those who betray the people of Sarvos. Let virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (552-0)
* '''Enacted:''' League congregations can [[Finding_is_the_final_act#Expose_the_Truth|lecture to citizens to investigate Sarvos]].

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to deploy the Eyes of Loyalty to embolden the following mandate: The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Halkyon of the Myriad Stream with 25 liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with Urizen to prepare to finish the fight
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-028)
* '''Enacted:''' The loyal will seek to assist with [[#Judgement 71|Judgement 71]]

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Creighton Blackewater
* '''Judgement:''' Pride in small things, Loyalty to great ones. We send Richard with 50 doses of liao to encourage Marcher citizens to settle the land. War is a thrice-ploughed field.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (144-0)
* '''Enacted:''' For one year, [[The_circle_game#Stirring_the_Pot|Marcher citizens can change a military unit, fleet, herb garden, mine or forest to a farm]] of the same resource level in the same territory without incurring a cost. Players wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should {{plot}}.

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar van Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing great without cost. We send Frideswide Adelaar van Holberg with 50 doses of liao to encourage League citizens to invest in business. Coin counts and everything costs!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (230-0)
* '''Enacted:''' For one year, [[The_circle_game#Stirring_the_Pot|League citizens can change a military unit, fleet, herb garden, mine or forest to a business]] of the same resource level in the same territory without incurring a cost. Players wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should {{plot}}.

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Exarch Aemon of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' The Sarcophan folk of Alivetti estates celebrate their enclave, but we must all remain vigilant to the threats it may represent. While they seem to be honest traders, their ways are not our ways, and their faith is very different to ours. Their refusal to acknowledge Imperial law is a challenge to the Empire. We send Exarch Aemon with 25 doses of liao to urge all virtuous citizens who must attend this gathering to keep their wits about them and remain alert for threats within and without.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (338-54)
* '''Enacted:''' Sends a message to the Alivetti estates that [[A_wild_night_and_a_new_road#Party_Planning|while that nation tolerates them, they do not welcome further engagement]].

===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Ambition is much more than lines on a map. We send Jim with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystics and shamans to discover more of the ancestors the Karass.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (110-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Jim will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore about the ancestors of the Karass]].

==Writ of Consecration==
Two [[writ of consecration|writs of consecration]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Martin Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' We have the exemplar, now where is their tomb? This assembly authorises and applauds the creation of an inspirational site to memorialise the <u>EXEMPLAR OF VIGILANCE, RAVADI FOUNDERS’ DANCE</u> (consecrated to vigilance, of course).
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (334-20)

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Skáldsgrým Dunhearth
* '''Judgement:''' Following the recent destruction of the historic meeting stone where the Jotun and Empire could meet. We the Loyalty Assembly seek a 'writ of consecration' to dedicate part of the newly built feasting hall on Gull Island to Loyalty. We wish to recognise it's importance and protect from future harm as a place of both virtue and honour. Loyalty is not displayed by words or deeds alone, but the unity of both
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (534-0)

==Revocation==
One [[revocation]] was presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' It is the unwise boyar who leaves none to tend the hearth. Sirka Parakgoosier Bashnya, Senator for Karsk, has abandoned their post and left no named proxy. It is your prerogative however there is no excuse in not providing a contingency. We in the Varushkan Assembly move for revocation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

==Proscription==
Fifteen judgements of [[proscription]] were raised in the General Assembly during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the use of the ceremony of excommunication without authorisation by writ of the Synod as an abuse of powers.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1522-684)

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes as blasphemy the act of dedicating any person to a false virtue or of creating an aura of a false virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2301-370)

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The desecration or destruction of any relics associated with a paragon or exemplar, or the destruction of any memorial associated with them, is proscribed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1744-290)

===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the Excessionist Heresy - the claim that too much of a Virtue can be as bad as too little.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1532-580)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the creation of statues in the likeness of any eternal. It is idolatry to commission a structure designed to honour an inhuman entity.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (1094-1254)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the Yaelian Heresy - the belief in the Land Without Tears and in Yael as a rebirth of the First Empress. These have shown to be false.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1880-110)

===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti
* '''Judgement:''' The Eternal Sadogua, the Brother of Wizards, has boasted of being the same entity known in the Iron Confederacy as Dumon, Father of Lies, a god within the Suranni pantheon. Nonetheless, he constantly seeks tribute, veneration, and adulation from the citizens of the Empire. The General Assembly proscribes the creation of statues, fanes, or edifices created in honour of Sadogua. It is idolatry to commission or to build such a thing.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (860-992)

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the receiving of a False Virtue Anointing or a False Virtue Dedication as BLASPHEMY
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1252-536)

===Judgement 110===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Syene
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the act of ceding land to those who are not sentient beings of this world, such as eternals or tulpas, as an act of idolatry. We make clear that it is the act of ceding itself that is idolatrous, and those who are responsible for such places are not de facto idolators
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (698-864)

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Felix Saltspire
* '''Judgement:''' Venerating an icon of an Eternal is Idolatry. Producing an Image of one is just Art. To make art exalts your pride. To venerate an eternal subsumes your will.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (496-244)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes entering into the service of an eternal or tulpa, where the service subsumes the individual's free will. This is idolatry. This is different from bartering for limited boons in service to your virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1010-102)

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of vengeance
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (804-46)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of understanding
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (770-70)

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Silas of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of hatred
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (842-46)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Theodora
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of freedom
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (790-70)

==Inquisition==
XXXXX [[inquisition|inquisitions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Cato Hypation
* '''Judgement:''' I call <u>Severus of the Blinding Sun</u> to inquisition, at a time to be arranged at the convenience of the magistrates at this summit. Let him be provided with an opportunity to defend his creed under Imperial scrutiny, having failed to defend it under Sword Scholar tradition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (30-0)

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Yosephus Morningson preaches the creed of the Temple of Balance, asserting that citizens should seek balance between all seven Virtues, and that an excess of just one Virtue becomes vice instead, as in aphorisms like “Courage pursued without Wisdom is Foolhardiness.” I have concerns about this belief, specifically whether it meets the definition of the heresies of Excessionism and/or Unitarianism; and whether its application to the paragons reaches the standard of blasphemy. With that in mind, I call Yosephus Morningson to inquisition at 1530 on Saturday of the Summer Solstice 387YE, at the Shattered Tower tent in Highguard. Anyone with an interest in these topics is welcome to attend, but this does not imply permission to participate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (320-0)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' I call Teodore duSesna of the Camorra DuSesna to Inquisition at the Autumn Summit 387YE, at a time and place to be arranged, that their accusations against Genoveva Barossa d’Apulian, Sofonisba Amilcara, Cesare Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato and Rafael Barossa d’Apulian may be thoroughly examined.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (292-0)

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I call Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer to inquisition Saturday 16:00 at the Wanderers camp. Concerning her courage involving the autumn realm, raising an army for her nation and other matters that come up.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-10)

===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' Raising a Statement of revocation as the adjutant of the general you are targeting is an action worthy of Scrutiny. I call Harwin Eternal to Inquisition, to tell me the loyalty in his action and answer to the treachery it appears to be. Woven roots camp Saturday 5:00pm in Navarr (right by Songs and Stories).
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (202-0)

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Arvel Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' I call Silas of the Cenotaph to inquisition at the Tendfallen camp in Navarr at 11am on the Saturday of this summit to discuss the virtue of his decision to canvas against a certain judgement last summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (30-16)

===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' Magistrate Sayid i Zurhi i Erigo. I call you to inquisition on the matter of a spontaneous aura upon your soul and its unclear virtuous nature. We will test what virtuous guidance it offers you. 14:00. The hub annex.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (248-0)

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim of Ebon's Hall
* '''Judgement:''' Iniska Ashwood, I am interested in testing whether you have been wise during your time as Inquisitor. I fear you take the words of fools too seriously. Saturday 14:00-:1500. Woven Roots.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (332-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement:''' I call Neve Dreadshield, of the Quiet Step to inquisition. This winter Neve has sacrificed all her oaths to save the people. As Navarr, our tattoos make us one nation. Let her speak if her Loyalties lie with Navarr or her actions lead to her being foresworn. Drunken Goose meeting room 5:00pm Navarr
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (233-0)

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Donato of the Crucible
* '''Judgement:''' I call Cosme i Guerra, magistrate, to discuss: their role in cursing Veikko Bondforger; the virtue in this action; how this was not acting in the spirit of <u>retribution</u>. Wanderer's camp, Urizen, Sat 5pm
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' I call to Inquisition Mendicant Garev of Highguard to investigate his claims of Prosperity while refusing to pay those who saved his life. This will occur at the spring summit when he is available (there will be cake)
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (334-20)

==Sanction==
XXXXX [[sanction|sanctions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Sabella of the Silent Tide; Only a person’s own actions may be judged under an Inquisitor’s gaze, and each action you have taken has been guided by Virtue. The Proud embrace their past acts and strive to repeat - or learn from - them going forward. You did not earn the steadfast Loyalty of your Chapter for nothing; your trust in them to conduct themselves with Virtue is testament to that Loyalty returned. You have shown unfaltering Pride in taking the path you deem Virtuous and continuing to walk it. Your Chapter walks with you. The shared desire expressed to let sleeping dogs lie has been accepted Virtuously. Inquisition is our sacred tool for raising the sword when required, just as it is one for putting down the sword where needed - let this Vindication acknowledge the Pride in your actions and bring conclusion to previous division.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-34)

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Myshki Marishka Letuchaya, Little Boyar of Levski, Senator for Miekarova, Leader of the Vale’s Heart, lighter of the lamp in the dark. Your visage is etched in stone, your hand now and always fortifying Delev. The Little Boyar’s Welcome stands; your Legacy stands with it. It is clear as a cloudless day that you have carved out your Benevolence in defiance of the Cold Sun, building refuge for those displaced by its hatred. Stories follow you from Anvil; how you have raised castle walls, been the architect of armies. What Inspiration this will become will be for your friends and followers to witness. Pride uplifts. Inquisition tests. The Signs of the Exemplar have ignited themselves in your actions. Surely as you pursue Virtue closer to home, your future deeds will be watched closer still.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-0)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Escalating J231, Summer 387. I inquisited Viviane Barrossa about the courage of her past year of challenges to fulfil a vow to carry a hallowing. I however failed because it became incredibly clear throughout this inquisition that what motivates the soul and body of Viviane is the burning flame of Ambition. Excessionism is a heresy and one that she does not follow, she committed to this challenge with her whole self. Her ambition in this act is the salvation of Axos and bringing them to the Way and out of their misunderstanding of the world. Her route is reaching out to them so they can see we can be worked with before encouraging them to come to us, to learn from our schools of thought in exchange knowing that this will help expose the failings in their philosophy and use of these dangerous auras. While intellectually she understood this aura she told me she was still not prepared enough for the way it pushed her to freeze up, to fawn to threats, to want to give everything over and just perform what the other person wanted. She condemns this aura as unvirtuous and has and I’m sure will again speak at length against its use. She seemed justifiably angry that she has had to spend a year wasting political capital and time being inquisited, doing penance, being threatened and assaulted, and having to avoid helping reform doctrine but I think felt it worthwhile to build this bridge with Axos.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (166-10)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Escalating Judgement 226 Summer 387 - I clear Genoveva and Rafael Barossa d’Apulian of any nonsense about running a “dark crusade” sacrificing virtue of innocents. If debate and discussion be the food of priests I have eaten well in this inquisition. These are courageous citizens of the Empire who are dedicating themselves to both the material and spiritual conditions of human souls both inside and outside of our borders and facing the challenges and problems we are in with courage, without pretending such obstacles do not exist. While they appear to disagree on Asavea they are both devoted to liberation and protection of souls and spreading The Way, and work towards such things even occasionally at the expense of personal relationships. These views may also stem from their cooperation enabling the Night Fane to Sung in Spiral going through Senate, they however have clear views on the dangers of this and how it is being overseen to understand the role that Fanes may play in the future of the Empire and wish us to understand them. They’re both magicians with above board dealings with a handful of Eternals. If you wish to understand their virtue talk to them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (236-10)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I vindicate Sakari, Grandmaster of the Rod and Shield for raising a Declaration to uninterdict Rivers Run Red. His Ambition to achieve his goals through any means is clear. Just because you disagree with a person’s actions does not mean they are unvirtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (742-96)

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Escalating from Judgement 39 of Autumn 387: LUCA I TAZIEL I RIQUEZA, CARDINAL OF PROSPERITY, offered a clear description of the circumstances around Aunty Hem’s Dedication to Anarchy, her subsequent Inquisition, and the fact that he was aware of her status for a full season before undertaking any action. This was a failing of Vigilance, and in so failing the Cardinal missed an opportunity to pull Aunty Hem back from the brink. I have proposed - and the Cardinal has agreed - that the right Penance is for the Cardinal to SPEND A YEAR UNDER ANOINTINGS OF VIGILANCE. This will allow Luca to better know this Virtue, without interfering with the Cardinal’s duties to Prosperity. In Escalating I ask the Synod to ENDORSE this course of action and to SUPPORT Luca in knowing Prosperity better.
Full Inquisition reports available from me and from the citizen noticeboard. (ON OPPOSITE WALL.)
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1128-54)

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Lars Makarov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I Lars Makarov present my findings of following the inquisition in Autumn 387. My aim was to examine if the 5 named members of the Guard, who had taken Dark Wine and were seen to bite fallen Jotun in battle during Spring and Summer, were using it as a cover for worship of Blood in the Snow. Conclusion - None of those named in Autumn 387 serve Agramant, but by following Virtue you will all stand better prepared for the trails to come. Judgement has been provided to Molli to bear the weight of a either the Hallowing of Permion or of Isaella’s Resolve for a year and for Slark to carry a Hallowing of the Questor, to remind you of the importance of asking questions. To help continue to live with virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (150-0)

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lepidina, Chaplain Consular. I find your actions and virtue beyond reproach on the matter of Fintan Nighthaven. I look forward to watching the progression of your career.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (862-52)

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Aster Acae. You served as Chaplain Consular during the most critical juncture of Fintan Nighthaven’s tenure as Ambassador to Axos and found yourself ill-equipped for the neccessities of the position. There is little point in wondering what could have been avoided had you acted. You did not. But you have done something few are capable of - you own your mistakes and learn from them. These lessons have cost much. Do not squander them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (812-72)

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Teodore Dusesna of the Camorra Dusesna, you have been inquisited regarding your accusations of idolatry against Genoveva Barossa d’Apulian, Sofonisba Amilcara, Cesare di Tassato and Raphael Barossa d’Apulian and have been found wanting. You admitted you knew your accusations had no basis in fact or as anything other than unfounded gossip yet you repeated them as factual truth. The Virtuous do not tear down others nor demean them, yet you spent your time in baseless accusations. Your penance is to spend the next three months speaking with those you spread your accusations to, advising them of the lack of substance and apologising for misleading them. Following this you will attend Anvil to make a public apology to those you wronged, at the League Assembly meeting 7pm Friday of the Spring Solstice.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (304-0)

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' The Loyal serve without concern for reward, ignore qualms of actions they take for their loyalty, defend that which they care about, and protect those they love from harm regardless of any cost. Knight-Captain Alethia Wooder was not only willing to pay that cost, but did. I find no fault in their Virtue when treating with Agramant. It was impeccable. Her heart was guided by the true Loyalty of her soul, in accordance with all appropriate teachings and auras thereof. As she continues her journey on the path, she should remember that whilst the Loyal are ready to pay this cost, she should be conscious it never strays to acting as the Peaceful Martyr, willing to suffer to alleviate the suffering of others, as this, as she knows, is a malign spiritual intent.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (888-58)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I called General Jean d'Apulian to inquisition as my first act as Inquisitor of Prosperity, as asked by members of House de Guavain. Jean was open and honest about what happened to the permanent enchantment of Bound by Common Cause on the Wolves of War. His Loyalty shone through his words and actions. His Prosperity is also unquestionable; when the enchantment changed, the Empire would have had to pay to remove it. Jean was able to engineer another option, that saw the army able to resupply and stand stronger for the Empire. I would, however, prevail upon his virtue and ask that he find a way to remember Maurice de Guavain to the League and the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (182-20)

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lugh Llaw Whisperleaf, I am not sure what I expected when I called you to Inquisition. Please thank your friends again for the song. I cannot call into question your virtue, your Prosperity, Loyalty, or Pride. You took heretical icons out of the grasping hands of would-be cultists, ensuring you did not impoverish those who found them, and show your work with Pride. Your decision to Hallow them to True Virtues and share them with fellow Magpies who prove themselves Virtuous and worthy is a good one. I look forwards to hearing from whoever investigates the Vallorn flowers you wear on your hat.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (197-10)

===Judgement 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Cadenza i Fontanilla i Riqueza, Nation's Hearth, I called you to Inquisition to investigate your Prosperity and I have not been left wanting. You work hard at the Spilled Tea each day, and do not rest on your laurels with the money you make. You give so much to your Nation, to your Empire, and you deserve recognition. So many see Prosperity as the act of making money, but you make sure it keeps moving, going where it needs to go. You remind people what a single soul can do when it chooses to. You walk the path of Prosperity well, and I seek to learn your example.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (207-0)

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim of Ebon's Hall
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' Gisli, you told me that beneath a shroud of your own creation lay one of the true Virtues of the Way - but I found only Anarchy. For this, we condemn you for Blasphemy. The Institutions of the Casinean Empire will do well without your malign influence
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (256-32)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Emperor Vesna, you asked me to inquisit you to judge and recognise your Prosperity, and I am honoured that you did. Your work in Ossium gave freed slaves the opportunities to become Prosperous citizens, and you have continued this on the grandest scale across and beyond the Empire. Your foresight into the only path to take to bring the Way to the world is inspiring, and as a Navarri, your willingness to make the hard choices resonates. There is only one thing I disagree with you on - you <u>are</u> loved by your Empire. To remind you of this, the Prosperity Assembly wish to Testimony you as "Beloved" with the strength of 7 priests.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (171-30)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Pete Tong
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Juniper du Froste, Merchant of the Fangs, in your inquisition you showed me and my co-council of your virtue. Not only are you ambitious, wise, and Prosperous - your intentions and competency are clear - but your loyalty to the Empire's duty to the Rhavin and your commitment to them is commendable. Maybe one day more bourse seat holders may be like you, and we might live in a better world.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (734-20)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' T i Dahr i Riqueza
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Gisli (Judgement 84 Wisdom) is not guilty of Blasphemy because it is not yet a crime. We condemn people for the crimes we have written down - and in fact he was wise in his efforts to remove the effects of his experiments with the aura "to trust his own judgement." Gisli is wise, knows the law, knows magic, and makes very good business decisions. He is an asset to the Empire, and it would be wise to see the fault of his actions, which were not illegal as dedication itself is not blasphemy. Fintan Nighthaven's poison must be cleared from the Empire, but not by killing all those he poisoned.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (266-924)
* '''Notes:''' Scrutiny was extended on this judgement by '''Silas of the Cenotaph''', the [[Cardinal of Wisdom]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisisted Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer (J29) and found her courage evident. She has a strong theology and practical virtue is important to her. She is fully aware of what she needs courage to face and what challenges are within her capabilities more easily. She faces things clearly and knows when to press forward and when to try new approaches and I feel she will continue to work on her soul, improve this empire and inspire others to act for a long time.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisited Ida the River today at 15:00 about courage. She spoke well of her virtue and the challenges she faces in life, the ways she faces dangers and failures. Others of the hospital spoke well of her, Tiberius described her as his rock, the most steadfast mother and north star Kellen of Kingstoke attributed Ida's courage with her continuing at the hospital. Ambrove di Sarvos talked of Ida pushing them forwards to establish connections. Emileo di Sarvos talked of her not hesitating. Isolde said she gives others courage, not aiming to inspire just doing a ripple of virtue from her actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (130-00)

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Harwyn Eternal described his loyalty and conviction in seeing Navarr best represented in military council. I think that this conviction is a testament to his loyalty to Navarr. However, his actions have not build up the people and team that forms the Navarr contingent of the military council. I call Harwyn to tell me in a years time of the actions that he takes from today to act with his virtue to aid this team and the goals of the military council team, in the interest of elevating his words with actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (66-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Following the inquisition of Dagon Barossa it was clear that whilst his intention was virtuous, his decision to give away the shield intended for the Champion of Loyalty lacked loyalty. It tore down his fellows and his words and deeds not united. I task Dagon to suffer the curse Bitter Mantle of the Leaden Crown next season. Even the strongest may err, the truly great learn from what scars them
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (208-0)

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Neve, over the long dark, lost all her oaths in sacrifice to the Empire. SHE decided the price was of worth against the Duvanku. Without her, all of Sarangrave would have been plunged into the depths of a winter curse upon the lands. She tooks this great sacrifice in loyalty to the Dreadshields, to Navarr, and to the Empire, with Pride and great Courage. May she be Branded to honour her actions, knowing they will be remembered and respected, and testimony her with "Oathsworn Renewed"
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (142-0)

===Judgement 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisited the Earl of Fools, along with several others. He was pleasant if nervous and demonstrated a clear growth of virtue and courage to acknowledge his actions. I wish him well in future endeavours and look forward to his benevolence in his virtue and in the future
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

==Recognition==
Two judgements of [[recognition]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' To recognise Zemress i Ezamara i Erigo as a Paragon of Prosperity. Her Exemplardom is known. There is no question of Benevolence, Inspiration, Pilgrimage, Salvation and Legacy. There never has been. No voices have spoken out against her Liberation. No Past Life Visions to be seen, and no ashes yet found. For Miracles we need only look. Look to the past. The Kraken's Bane returning to post. She was thought lost in the bay with her captain. But there She came. Un-crewed. Bound for home. Look to the present. The Captain's Touch, a treasure trove of True Auras tied to Zemress. Hallows a-plenty, easy to find by simply asking an enthusiastic Zemress at Anvil. The Summah already recognise our captain. In times of uncertainty, let us look to stories we know are true; a Paragon that already teaches the Known World what a Prosperity looks like
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (223-30)

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Masha Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise Rahvin as an Exemplar of Courage and the first Ancestor Exemplar. <u>Inspiration</u> Fighting against the Druj, surrounded on all fronts, he inspired his people and thousands of others to fight to the bitter end, courageously standing for what they believed in, time and again. <u>Benevolence</u> Rahvin suffered greatly in the fight for the freedom of the Barrens, committing his life to bring about a better future for his people. <u>Liberation</u> Many individuals close to Rahvin report hearing his voice as an Ancestor, proof that, from his courageous actions he has crossed the Howling Abyss. <u>Legacy</u> Though the Rahvin (people) were thought destroyed by the Druj, they lived on, and fight now in his name to drive the Druj east into the sea. <u>Salvation</u> Rahvin was the driving force behind the uprising against the Druj in the Barrens, sending them to the howling abyss and ultimately leading to his followers working with the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (238-10)

==Appointment==
Twenty one [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Heilyn Bronwen’s Rest''' was appointed with 126 votes; Gorwen received 20 votes; Mabel received 20 votes; Syene received 12 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of the Way]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Volya Nebov''' was appointed with 78 votes; Yosephus Morningson received 42 votes; Kosta-Konstanin Rabovich Bolotnikov received 30 votes; Tabris, Son or Armisael received 22 votes; Brynn Tendfallen received 10 votes

===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Caleb of the Cenotaph''' was selected with 426 votes; Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg received 170 votes; Aspar received 150 votes; Gaelen Embercast received 146 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 132 votes; Mirella of the Twisted Rose received 106 votes; Starac Sijed Orzel received 74 votes; Mel of the Mourn received 44 votes; Frater Pontius of Adoniran’s Temple received 42 votes; Tom Appleseed received 30 votes

===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Talos of the Silent Tide''' was appointed with 206 votes; Skaldsgrym Dunhearth received 40 votes; Haungar Oakenlegs received 38 votes; Shibboleth Tzipporah received 36 votes

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arbiter of the Four Winds]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Donato of the Crucible''' was appointed with 98 votes

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Hand to the Dance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Farren Silver Streams''' was appointed with 90 votes; Emrys Barbbearer Edgestalker received 41 votes; Brynn Tendfallen received 28 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Barbs]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Eirlys Ashes Blaze''' was appointed with 187 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nicodemus of Balthazar’s Vineyard''' was appointed with 404 votes

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the Printers' Guild Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Fabio Costas d’Apulian''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Purslane Artorigus''' was appointed with 116 votes; Lord Roland de Lagriffe received 86 votes; Earl Cerys de Rosier received 70 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Katchiana Razorradze''' was appointed with 80 votes; Vespasian received 48 votes; Kali Keen-Eye received 34 votes

===Judgement 59===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lantern Wolf]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nadia von Holberg''' was appointed with 176 votes; Katarina Palantini received 60 votes; Savi Avocatt received 34 votes

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of the Orchard]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Basil Goodbeard''' was appointed with 150 votes

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of Oaths]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Veikko Bondforger''' was appointed with 398 votes

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Masha Sigeling''' was appointed with 110 votes; Ada of House Meliora received 32 votes

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Grieftender of the Forgotten]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Miroslav Temnavoda''' was appointed with 142 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[High Exorcist]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Belial de Courtenay-Wyldrose''' was appointed with 6 votes. Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun received 1 vote

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nim of Ebons Hall''' was appointed with 132 votes. Gwen Tendfallen received 22 votes

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Basilisk of the Bourse]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Alfred Aewulfson''' was appointed with 7 votes

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Hand of Guerra]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra''' was appointed with 74 votes

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Bryce the Hare''' was appointed with 94 votes

==Rewarding==
Fourteen judgements of [[rewarding]] were presented to the General Assembly during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Valentin Ivarovich Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' The Inspirational Tomb of Ozren de Orzel has been chosen and will include an Academy of the Arts and Apartments for the High Bard of the Empire! At the formal consecration with True Liao the Culwich Witches of Weirwater have promised gifts and recognition to the Eighty-One (81) named musicians and poets chosen by the High Bard in early 386. Nearly half the funding for this Virtuous endeavour is secured. The True Liao is held in preparation. We are almost there! I request the General Assembly’s support in a Rewarding from the Virtue fund of 40 Thrones to complete the purchase of white granite to build the Bardic Academy of the Exemplar Ozren to support the ongoing work of the High Bards of the Empire and secure the Proud legacy of the 81 named performers celebrating Imperial Virtue and wonderous deeds!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (470-662)

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ioan Longshadow
* '''Judgement:''' Since the death of Empress Britta, the Anvil Hospital has stood as a beacon of Quiet Courage and Virtue. It has not been sustained by the Empire’s coffers, but by the Prosperity of private citizens and the relentless goodwill of volunteers. These individuals face the brutal aftermath of battle, keep soldiers in the fight, and tend to those who support them on and off the battlefield. Their Courage is not loud - but it is unyielding. And it has been overlooked for far too long. I seek the aid of the General Assembly for this Virtuous cause and request a rewarding from the Virtue Fund of 10 thrones for the purchase of herbs, mana, liao, and other essential resources in support of the Hospital - and by extension, the Empire. Let us honour the Quiet Courage of those who give their time, effort, and resources to the Hospital. Courage does not only charge - it heals, it endures, and it refuses to break.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1242-106)

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ser Lorell Copiste
* '''Judgement:''' It is no secret that with Dawn’s deficiency in wealth, the nation struggles to build anything of use. So that this issue may be solved, Lord Morgann de Vere, ever prideful of his homeland, ambitiously seeks 8 wains of Weirwood from the Virtue Fund, to help in constructing a great work that benefits not only Weirwater, but the nation of Dawn entire. Let Lord Morgann be rewarded, and your prosperity shall greatly aid the Dawnish people.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (300-808)

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Serrusto Caeli Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' I seek to reward VITTORE van TEMESCHWAR The sum of TWENTY-TWO THRONES From the virtue fund for having prosperously created multiple items of office and regalia for Imperial titles and to assist in his further works in this endeavour
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (382-628)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' We reward Bleddri Eternal with fifteen thrones. Bleddri has spent more than 40 thrones of his own funds on codifying two rituals. Stars Mantle has already been added to Imperial Lore. Revelations of the Past, which shares a vision of an item’s past beyond the ritualist’s coven, will be added to Imperial Lore shortly after being loaned to the Academy for a period. This kind of generous prosperity should be encouraged and rewarded.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (400-582)

===Judgement 58===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Over 150 Imperial Fleet Captains forwent personal prosperity to support the Unguerdoned Red Wind Corsairs in destroying the pirate-cultist navy of the Children of Wrecks effectively closing a front. We reward them with 40 Thrones to be shared between them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-424)

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Anatolij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' I am seeking 6 wains of white granite to create a monument to the Silent Bell sodality to reward their tireless work Vigilantly and Courageously defending this Empire and furthering our knowledge of the Way. I have the Senate announcement, I have the labour costs, all I need is the white granite
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, partial (three white granite) (528-334)

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Geraint Bronwen's Rest with 16 weirwood to be put towards the City of Dreams. This is an investment in to the future of Navarr and will allow us to seek new ways to use liao
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (434-389)

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lia Adelaar
* '''Judgement:''' The Kleists of Holberg have, through their ingenuity and tireless effort, succeeded in raising the walls of Holberg to be the greatest fortification in the known world. Funds for this great work (500T) come from the Kleists' efforts co-ordinating the prosperity of our citizens and from their own pockets. We ask for a rewarding of 8 white granite in recognition of their great Ambition and Prosperity, and to support future projects including the Imperatrix docks.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, but none remain (408-380)

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cyrus of Athaliah's Handiwork
* '''Judgement:''' We award Naomi of Felix's Watch, 5 wains of white granite towards the restoration of Berechiah's Basilica in Bastion, which is in a dangerous state of disrepair, and is a threat to the life and limb of pilgrims. It was consecrated with true liao in 385YE and has provided only a fraction of the benefit it might have. Now, when we need Berechiah's inspiration to fight foreign espionage rings is the perfect time to complete the work and create a new title to be appointed by the Vigilance Assembly
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (672-214)

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:''' To bring the Way to the hermit kingdom of Tsark, we must <u>talk</u> to them. An opportunity to build that bridge has arisen in the form of the Garden of the Perfect World - this will allow us to trade weirwood to them for white granite and improve the Prosperity of us both. This door was opened by Abel the Rounder, and I ask that this Assembly provide him 8 wains of weirwood in order that it may be built as soon as possible.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, but none remain (188-154)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Emrys Fleurir
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Ser Raine Fisher with 16 Weirwood for their efforts in rousing Dawnish fleets to aid the Red Wind Corsairs, so that they may fund Ambitious projects to increase the Empire's naval strength.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (178-248)

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Eleri Bronwen's Rest with 6 wains of mithril to be put towards the army currently mustering in Hercynia. The army will be put to use defending the Empire's borders to help safeguard the spiritual centre of the Way
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (261-106)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' We reward Halwyn Splitroot for achieving the great ambition of rebuilding and consecrating First Voice Glade and School inspiring pride and increasing prosperity within the Empire. We grant him 16 weirwood as reward for this great work and in the knowledge that this will support his efforts to further improve the Glade and School to benefit the prosperity and herbal knowledge of the Vallornguard
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (144-146)

==Inquisition==
===Writs of Inquisition===
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || [[Emperor Vesna|Emperor Vesna Borkovna Prochnost]] || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperty]] || Their [[Prosperity]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || (the Face of) the Earl of Fools || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Taking [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
|-
| Arvel Tendfallen || Silas of the Cenotaph || TBC || Canvassing against a [[Judgement]] at the previous summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Ibiss Briarheart || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || [[Realm#Spring|Spring]], its perils & lessons, at the Spring summit
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Their dealings with [[Irra Harah]]
|-
| Cato Hypation || [[To_fight_aloud#Fallen_Hero|Severus of the Blinding Sun]] || TBC || His [[The_deepest_cut#Interred_With_Their_Bones|creed]]
|-
| Vauraus "Prosperity's Forge" Korppitkotka || Natalia "The Falcon" Barossa || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Their work as [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]]
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Mirella of the Twisted Rose || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her work as [[Archmage of Summer]], especially with regards to [[Knights of Glory]]
|-
| Jedediah Boon || Brother Geoffrey Orchard || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]] || Words and acts of questionable virtue
|-
| Alfred Eawolfson || Tristan Ramson von Holberg || [[Basilisk of the Bourse]] || Virtue and Economics, at the Spring summit
|-
| Eevi of the Gadrai || Bloodcrow Rasp || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Bonds built across the Empire
|}

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Winter Solstice.
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Wintermark unless enacted by the Wintermark Assembly. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in the nation, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[The_final_cut#Questions_for_Wintermark|The final cut]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Winter Solstice 387YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>88 thrones, 15 rings</td><td>6 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>16 wains</td><td>1 dose</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>65 thrones, 7 crowns, 16 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>104 thrones, 11 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 1 throne, 2 crowns at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]]
* 2 thrones at the counting house of [[Tassato]]
* 1 throne, 3 crowns at the counting house of [[Semmerholm]]
* 1 throne, 4 crowns at the counting house of [[Karsk]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 10 thrones to '''Ioan Longshadow''' following [[#Judgement 12|Judgement 12]] being upheld (margin 1136)
* 5 wains of white granite to '''Cyrus of Athaliah's Handiwork''' following [[#Judgement 103|Judgement 103]] being upheld (margin 458)
* 40 thrones to '''Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos''' following [[#Judgement 58|Judgement 8]] being upheld (margin 196)
* 3 wains of white granite to '''Anatolij''' following [[#Judgement 87|Judgement 87]] being upheld (margin 194)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Xandor Trodbroker''' following [[#Judgement 121|Judgement 121]] being upheld (margin 155)
* 16 wains of weirwood to '''Oleander Ashwood''' following [[#Judgement 90|Judgement 90]] being upheld (margin 45)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 65 thrones for the Bourse dose of True Liao from '''Umbar'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Martel'''
* 16 rings in small donations
</div>

==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to '''Caleb of the Cenotaph''' via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to '''Umbar''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Ashborn Trosk''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Amberlain P. Black''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 53 || 742 || 372
|-
|Courage || 41 || 492 || 247
|-
|Loyalty || 61 || 788 || 395
|-
|Pride || 36 || 440 || 221
|-
|Prosperity || 42 || 513 || 257
|-
|Vigilance || 47 || 532 || 267
|-
|Wisdom || 41 || 554 || 278
|-
|The Way || 29 || 320 || 161
|-
|General || 350 || 4381 || 2191
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 15 || 166 || 84
|-
|Dawn || 51 || 672 || 337
|-
|Highguard || 74 || 940 || 471
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 9 || 138 || 70
|-
|League || 36 || 514 || 258
|-
|Marches || 22 || 250 || 126
|-
|Navarr || 43 || 499 || 250
|-
|Urizen || 27 || 314 || 158
|-
|Varushka || 31 || 398 || 200
|-
|Wintermark || 42 || 490 || 246
|-
|General || 350 || 4381 || 2191
|-
|}

387YE Winter Solstice Synod judgements

2026-05-03T19:53:55Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 90 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Winter]]
==Overview==
During the Winter Solstice 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised TBC judgements.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| ??
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 11
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 2
|-
|[[#Revocation|Revocation]] || 1
|-
|[[#Proscription|Proscription]] || 15
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 11
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 15
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 2
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 21
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 14
|-
|}
</div>

==Mandate==
===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Frater Pontius of Adoniram's Testament with 50 doses of liao to encourage our courageous soldiers to stand apart from these servants of eternals. Seek out falsehood and expose the truth.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (678-12)
* '''Enacted''' Highborn soldiers [[The_thing_with_feathers#In_the_Fields_of_Glory_(Eleonaris)|will deliberately keep their distance from any heralds]] sent to fight alongside them.

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Harwyn Eternal
* '''Judgement:''' The Terunael city of Hacynian has passed into history, ruined by the vallorn. We send Towlen Nighthaven with 25 liao to urge the folk of Hercynia. To swear an oath that neither they nor their ancestors will seek to rebuild Hacynian. Accept its passing as a sacrifice for future free of the folly of Terunael.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (223-16)
* '''Enacted:''' Kaela will provide her support for the construction of [[Every_path_you_know#Beware_of_Dog|the Grim Pryamid]] in the Starless Vale.
__TOC__
===Judgement 71===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Brynn Tendfallen with 50 doses of liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with Urizen to prepare to finish the fight.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (267-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Navarr from all walks of life [[Every_path_you_know#Thanks_for_Sharing|will travel to the named nation looking for ways to help]]. This will generate at least one opportunity for a new Imperial title to help the Vallornguard prepare for the fight with the enemy.

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Beware the seduction of the false virtue of Anarchy! We send Azir i Shartha i Riqueza with 150 doses of liao to rally the people of the Brass Coast to turn away from those who would revel in false freedoms. Reject Anarchy, lest your virtue be lost! Let virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (42-96)

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Joran of Reikos
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth! We send Joran of Reikos with 25 doses of liao to rally the people of Highguard to use their well-earned skills to find those who betray the people of Sarvos. Let Virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (552-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Highborn congregations can [[Finding_is_the_final_act#Expose_the_Truth|lecture to citizens to investigate Sarvos]].

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Viviane Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth! We send Viviane Barossa with 25 liao to rally the people of the League to use their well-earned skills to find those who betray the people of Sarvos. Let virtue reveal the deceiver!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (552-0)
* '''Enacted:''' League congregations can [[Finding_is_the_final_act#Expose_the_Truth|lecture to citizens to investigate Sarvos]].

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to deploy the Eyes of Loyalty to embolden the following mandate: The Virtuous raise up their fellows. Any nation willing to raise arms and join the Vallornguard shall have our full support. We send Halkyon of the Myriad Stream with 25 liao to lead our people in sharing everything we have with Urizen to prepare to finish the fight
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-028)
* '''Enacted:''' The loyal will seek to assist with [[#Judgement 71|Judgement 71]]

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Creighton Blackewater
* '''Judgement:''' Pride in small things, Loyalty to great ones. We send Richard with 50 doses of liao to encourage Marcher citizens to settle the land. War is a thrice-ploughed field.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (144-0)
* '''Enacted:''' For one year, [[The_circle_game#Stirring_the_Pot|Marcher citizens can change a military unit, fleet, herb garden, mine or forest to a farm]] of the same resource level in the same territory without incurring a cost. Players wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should {{plot}}.

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar van Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing great without cost. We send Frideswide Adelaar van Holberg with 50 doses of liao to encourage League citizens to invest in business. Coin counts and everything costs!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (230-0)
* '''Enacted:''' For one year, [[The_circle_game#Stirring_the_Pot|League citizens can change a military unit, fleet, herb garden, mine or forest to a business]] of the same resource level in the same territory without incurring a cost. Players wishing to take advantage of this opportunity should {{plot}}.

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Exarch Aemon of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' The Sarcophan folk of Alivetti estates celebrate their enclave, but we must all remain vigilant to the threats it may represent. While they seem to be honest traders, their ways are not our ways, and their faith is very different to ours. Their refusal to acknowledge Imperial law is a challenge to the Empire. We send Exarch Aemon with 25 doses of liao to urge all virtuous citizens who must attend this gathering to keep their wits about them and remain alert for threats within and without.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (338-54)
* '''Enacted:''' Sends a message to the Alivetti estates that [[A_wild_night_and_a_new_road#Party_Planning|while that nation tolerates them, they do not welcome further engagement]].

===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Judgement:''' Ambition is much more than lines on a map. We send Jim with 15 crowns to lead a delegation of mystics and shamans to discover more of the ancestors the Karass.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (110-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Jim will lead a group of willing orcs [[Every_day_of_your_life#Spanning_the_Abyss|in search of information and lore about the ancestors of the Karass]].

==Writ of Consecration==
Two [[writ of consecration|writs of consecration]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Martin Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' We have the exemplar, now where is their tomb? This assembly authorises and applauds the creation of an inspirational site to memorialise the <u>EXEMPLAR OF VIGILANCE, RAVADI FOUNDERS’ DANCE</u> (consecrated to vigilance, of course).
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (334-20)

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Skáldsgrým Dunhearth
* '''Judgement:''' Following the recent destruction of the historic meeting stone where the Jotun and Empire could meet. We the Loyalty Assembly seek a 'writ of consecration' to dedicate part of the newly built feasting hall on Gull Island to Loyalty. We wish to recognise it's importance and protect from future harm as a place of both virtue and honour. Loyalty is not displayed by words or deeds alone, but the unity of both
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (534-0)

==Revocation==
One [[revocation]] was presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Rosanna Vtrachenich
* '''Judgement:''' It is the unwise boyar who leaves none to tend the hearth. Sirka Parakgoosier Bashnya, Senator for Karsk, has abandoned their post and left no named proxy. It is your prerogative however there is no excuse in not providing a contingency. We in the Varushkan Assembly move for revocation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-0)

==Proscription==
Fifteen judgements of [[proscription]] were raised in the General Assembly during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the use of the ceremony of excommunication without authorisation by writ of the Synod as an abuse of powers.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1522-684)

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes as blasphemy the act of dedicating any person to a false virtue or of creating an aura of a false virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2301-370)

===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The desecration or destruction of any relics associated with a paragon or exemplar, or the destruction of any memorial associated with them, is proscribed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1744-290)

===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the Excessionist Heresy - the claim that too much of a Virtue can be as bad as too little.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1532-580)

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the creation of statues in the likeness of any eternal. It is idolatry to commission a structure designed to honour an inhuman entity.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (1094-1254)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' The General Assembly proscribes the Yaelian Heresy - the belief in the Land Without Tears and in Yael as a rebirth of the First Empress. These have shown to be false.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1880-110)

===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti
* '''Judgement:''' The Eternal Sadogua, the Brother of Wizards, has boasted of being the same entity known in the Iron Confederacy as Dumon, Father of Lies, a god within the Suranni pantheon. Nonetheless, he constantly seeks tribute, veneration, and adulation from the citizens of the Empire. The General Assembly proscribes the creation of statues, fanes, or edifices created in honour of Sadogua. It is idolatry to commission or to build such a thing.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (860-992)

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the receiving of a False Virtue Anointing or a False Virtue Dedication as BLASPHEMY
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1252-536)

===Judgement 110===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Syene
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes the act of ceding land to those who are not sentient beings of this world, such as eternals or tulpas, as an act of idolatry. We make clear that it is the act of ceding itself that is idolatrous, and those who are responsible for such places are not de facto idolators
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (698-864)

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Felix Saltspire
* '''Judgement:''' Venerating an icon of an Eternal is Idolatry. Producing an Image of one is just Art. To make art exalts your pride. To venerate an eternal subsumes your will.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (496-244)

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod proscribes entering into the service of an eternal or tulpa, where the service subsumes the individual's free will. This is idolatry. This is different from bartering for limited boons in service to your virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1010-102)

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of vengeance
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (804-46)

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of understanding
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (770-70)

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Silas of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of hatred
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (842-46)

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Theodora
* '''Judgement:''' We proscribe as blasphemy the preaching or promotion of the false virtue of freedom
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (790-70)

==Inquisition==
XXXXX [[inquisition|inquisitions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Cato Hypation
* '''Judgement:''' I call <u>Severus of the Blinding Sun</u> to inquisition, at a time to be arranged at the convenience of the magistrates at this summit. Let him be provided with an opportunity to defend his creed under Imperial scrutiny, having failed to defend it under Sword Scholar tradition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (30-0)

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d’Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Yosephus Morningson preaches the creed of the Temple of Balance, asserting that citizens should seek balance between all seven Virtues, and that an excess of just one Virtue becomes vice instead, as in aphorisms like “Courage pursued without Wisdom is Foolhardiness.” I have concerns about this belief, specifically whether it meets the definition of the heresies of Excessionism and/or Unitarianism; and whether its application to the paragons reaches the standard of blasphemy. With that in mind, I call Yosephus Morningson to inquisition at 1530 on Saturday of the Summer Solstice 387YE, at the Shattered Tower tent in Highguard. Anyone with an interest in these topics is welcome to attend, but this does not imply permission to participate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (320-0)

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' I call Teodore duSesna of the Camorra DuSesna to Inquisition at the Autumn Summit 387YE, at a time and place to be arranged, that their accusations against Genoveva Barossa d’Apulian, Sofonisba Amilcara, Cesare Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato and Rafael Barossa d’Apulian may be thoroughly examined.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (292-0)

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I call Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer to inquisition Saturday 16:00 at the Wanderers camp. Concerning her courage involving the autumn realm, raising an army for her nation and other matters that come up.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-10)

===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' Raising a Statement of revocation as the adjutant of the general you are targeting is an action worthy of Scrutiny. I call Harwin Eternal to Inquisition, to tell me the loyalty in his action and answer to the treachery it appears to be. Woven roots camp Saturday 5:00pm in Navarr (right by Songs and Stories).
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (202-0)

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Arvel Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' I call Silas of the Cenotaph to inquisition at the Tendfallen camp in Navarr at 11am on the Saturday of this summit to discuss the virtue of his decision to canvas against a certain judgement last summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (30-16)

===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' Magistrate Sayid i Zurhi i Erigo. I call you to inquisition on the matter of a spontaneous aura upon your soul and its unclear virtuous nature. We will test what virtuous guidance it offers you. 14:00. The hub annex.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (248-0)

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim of Ebon's Hall
* '''Judgement:''' Iniska Ashwood, I am interested in testing whether you have been wise during your time as Inquisitor. I fear you take the words of fools too seriously. Saturday 14:00-:1500. Woven Roots.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (332-10)

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement:''' I call Neve Dreadshield, of the Quiet Step to inquisition. This winter Neve has sacrificed all her oaths to save the people. As Navarr, our tattoos make us one nation. Let her speak if her Loyalties lie with Navarr or her actions lead to her being foresworn. Drunken Goose meeting room 5:00pm Navarr
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (233-0)

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Donato of the Crucible
* '''Judgement:''' I call Cosme i Guerra, magistrate, to discuss: their role in cursing Veikko Bondforger; the virtue in this action; how this was not acting in the spirit of <u>retribution</u>. Wanderer's camp, Urizen, Sat 5pm
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' I call to Inquisition Mendicant Garev of Highguard to investigate his claims of Prosperity while refusing to pay those who saved his life. This will occur at the spring summit when he is available (there will be cake)
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (334-20)

==Sanction==
XXXXX [[sanction|sanctions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Sabella of the Silent Tide; Only a person’s own actions may be judged under an Inquisitor’s gaze, and each action you have taken has been guided by Virtue. The Proud embrace their past acts and strive to repeat - or learn from - them going forward. You did not earn the steadfast Loyalty of your Chapter for nothing; your trust in them to conduct themselves with Virtue is testament to that Loyalty returned. You have shown unfaltering Pride in taking the path you deem Virtuous and continuing to walk it. Your Chapter walks with you. The shared desire expressed to let sleeping dogs lie has been accepted Virtuously. Inquisition is our sacred tool for raising the sword when required, just as it is one for putting down the sword where needed - let this Vindication acknowledge the Pride in your actions and bring conclusion to previous division.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-34)

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedidiah Boon
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Myshki Marishka Letuchaya, Little Boyar of Levski, Senator for Miekarova, Leader of the Vale’s Heart, lighter of the lamp in the dark. Your visage is etched in stone, your hand now and always fortifying Delev. The Little Boyar’s Welcome stands; your Legacy stands with it. It is clear as a cloudless day that you have carved out your Benevolence in defiance of the Cold Sun, building refuge for those displaced by its hatred. Stories follow you from Anvil; how you have raised castle walls, been the architect of armies. What Inspiration this will become will be for your friends and followers to witness. Pride uplifts. Inquisition tests. The Signs of the Exemplar have ignited themselves in your actions. Surely as you pursue Virtue closer to home, your future deeds will be watched closer still.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (160-0)

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Escalating J231, Summer 387. I inquisited Viviane Barrossa about the courage of her past year of challenges to fulfil a vow to carry a hallowing. I however failed because it became incredibly clear throughout this inquisition that what motivates the soul and body of Viviane is the burning flame of Ambition. Excessionism is a heresy and one that she does not follow, she committed to this challenge with her whole self. Her ambition in this act is the salvation of Axos and bringing them to the Way and out of their misunderstanding of the world. Her route is reaching out to them so they can see we can be worked with before encouraging them to come to us, to learn from our schools of thought in exchange knowing that this will help expose the failings in their philosophy and use of these dangerous auras. While intellectually she understood this aura she told me she was still not prepared enough for the way it pushed her to freeze up, to fawn to threats, to want to give everything over and just perform what the other person wanted. She condemns this aura as unvirtuous and has and I’m sure will again speak at length against its use. She seemed justifiably angry that she has had to spend a year wasting political capital and time being inquisited, doing penance, being threatened and assaulted, and having to avoid helping reform doctrine but I think felt it worthwhile to build this bridge with Axos.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (166-10)

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Escalating Judgement 226 Summer 387 - I clear Genoveva and Rafael Barossa d’Apulian of any nonsense about running a “dark crusade” sacrificing virtue of innocents. If debate and discussion be the food of priests I have eaten well in this inquisition. These are courageous citizens of the Empire who are dedicating themselves to both the material and spiritual conditions of human souls both inside and outside of our borders and facing the challenges and problems we are in with courage, without pretending such obstacles do not exist. While they appear to disagree on Asavea they are both devoted to liberation and protection of souls and spreading The Way, and work towards such things even occasionally at the expense of personal relationships. These views may also stem from their cooperation enabling the Night Fane to Sung in Spiral going through Senate, they however have clear views on the dangers of this and how it is being overseen to understand the role that Fanes may play in the future of the Empire and wish us to understand them. They’re both magicians with above board dealings with a handful of Eternals. If you wish to understand their virtue talk to them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (236-10)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I vindicate Sakari, Grandmaster of the Rod and Shield for raising a Declaration to uninterdict Rivers Run Red. His Ambition to achieve his goals through any means is clear. Just because you disagree with a person’s actions does not mean they are unvirtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (742-96)

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Escalating from Judgement 39 of Autumn 387: LUCA I TAZIEL I RIQUEZA, CARDINAL OF PROSPERITY, offered a clear description of the circumstances around Aunty Hem’s Dedication to Anarchy, her subsequent Inquisition, and the fact that he was aware of her status for a full season before undertaking any action. This was a failing of Vigilance, and in so failing the Cardinal missed an opportunity to pull Aunty Hem back from the brink. I have proposed - and the Cardinal has agreed - that the right Penance is for the Cardinal to SPEND A YEAR UNDER ANOINTINGS OF VIGILANCE. This will allow Luca to better know this Virtue, without interfering with the Cardinal’s duties to Prosperity. In Escalating I ask the Synod to ENDORSE this course of action and to SUPPORT Luca in knowing Prosperity better.
Full Inquisition reports available from me and from the citizen noticeboard. (ON OPPOSITE WALL.)
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1128-54)

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Lars Makarov
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I Lars Makarov present my findings of following the inquisition in Autumn 387. My aim was to examine if the 5 named members of the Guard, who had taken Dark Wine and were seen to bite fallen Jotun in battle during Spring and Summer, were using it as a cover for worship of Blood in the Snow. Conclusion - None of those named in Autumn 387 serve Agramant, but by following Virtue you will all stand better prepared for the trails to come. Judgement has been provided to Molli to bear the weight of a either the Hallowing of Permion or of Isaella’s Resolve for a year and for Slark to carry a Hallowing of the Questor, to remind you of the importance of asking questions. To help continue to live with virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (150-0)

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lepidina, Chaplain Consular. I find your actions and virtue beyond reproach on the matter of Fintan Nighthaven. I look forward to watching the progression of your career.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (862-52)

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Aster Acae. You served as Chaplain Consular during the most critical juncture of Fintan Nighthaven’s tenure as Ambassador to Axos and found yourself ill-equipped for the neccessities of the position. There is little point in wondering what could have been avoided had you acted. You did not. But you have done something few are capable of - you own your mistakes and learn from them. These lessons have cost much. Do not squander them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (812-72)

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Teodore Dusesna of the Camorra Dusesna, you have been inquisited regarding your accusations of idolatry against Genoveva Barossa d’Apulian, Sofonisba Amilcara, Cesare di Tassato and Raphael Barossa d’Apulian and have been found wanting. You admitted you knew your accusations had no basis in fact or as anything other than unfounded gossip yet you repeated them as factual truth. The Virtuous do not tear down others nor demean them, yet you spent your time in baseless accusations. Your penance is to spend the next three months speaking with those you spread your accusations to, advising them of the lack of substance and apologising for misleading them. Following this you will attend Anvil to make a public apology to those you wronged, at the League Assembly meeting 7pm Friday of the Spring Solstice.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (304-0)

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' The Loyal serve without concern for reward, ignore qualms of actions they take for their loyalty, defend that which they care about, and protect those they love from harm regardless of any cost. Knight-Captain Alethia Wooder was not only willing to pay that cost, but did. I find no fault in their Virtue when treating with Agramant. It was impeccable. Her heart was guided by the true Loyalty of her soul, in accordance with all appropriate teachings and auras thereof. As she continues her journey on the path, she should remember that whilst the Loyal are ready to pay this cost, she should be conscious it never strays to acting as the Peaceful Martyr, willing to suffer to alleviate the suffering of others, as this, as she knows, is a malign spiritual intent.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (888-58)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I called General Jean d'Apulian to inquisition as my first act as Inquisitor of Prosperity, as asked by members of House de Guavain. Jean was open and honest about what happened to the permanent enchantment of Bound by Common Cause on the Wolves of War. His Loyalty shone through his words and actions. His Prosperity is also unquestionable; when the enchantment changed, the Empire would have had to pay to remove it. Jean was able to engineer another option, that saw the army able to resupply and stand stronger for the Empire. I would, however, prevail upon his virtue and ask that he find a way to remember Maurice de Guavain to the League and the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (182-20)

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Lugh Llaw Whisperleaf, I am not sure what I expected when I called you to Inquisition. Please thank your friends again for the song. I cannot call into question your virtue, your Prosperity, Loyalty, or Pride. You took heretical icons out of the grasping hands of would-be cultists, ensuring you did not impoverish those who found them, and show your work with Pride. Your decision to Hallow them to True Virtues and share them with fellow Magpies who prove themselves Virtuous and worthy is a good one. I look forwards to hearing from whoever investigates the Vallorn flowers you wear on your hat.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (197-10)

===Judgement 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Cadenza i Fontanilla i Riqueza, Nation's Hearth, I called you to Inquisition to investigate your Prosperity and I have not been left wanting. You work hard at the Spilled Tea each day, and do not rest on your laurels with the money you make. You give so much to your Nation, to your Empire, and you deserve recognition. So many see Prosperity as the act of making money, but you make sure it keeps moving, going where it needs to go. You remind people what a single soul can do when it chooses to. You walk the path of Prosperity well, and I seek to learn your example.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (207-0)

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nim of Ebon's Hall
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' Gisli, you told me that beneath a shroud of your own creation lay one of the true Virtues of the Way - but I found only Anarchy. For this, we condemn you for Blasphemy. The Institutions of the Casinean Empire will do well without your malign influence
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (256-32)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Emperor Vesna, you asked me to inquisit you to judge and recognise your Prosperity, and I am honoured that you did. Your work in Ossium gave freed slaves the opportunities to become Prosperous citizens, and you have continued this on the grandest scale across and beyond the Empire. Your foresight into the only path to take to bring the Way to the world is inspiring, and as a Navarri, your willingness to make the hard choices resonates. There is only one thing I disagree with you on - you <u>are</u> loved by your Empire. To remind you of this, the Prosperity Assembly wish to Testimony you as "Beloved" with the strength of 7 priests.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (171-30)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Pete Tong
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Juniper du Froste, Merchant of the Fangs, in your inquisition you showed me and my co-council of your virtue. Not only are you ambitious, wise, and Prosperous - your intentions and competency are clear - but your loyalty to the Empire's duty to the Rhavin and your commitment to them is commendable. Maybe one day more bourse seat holders may be like you, and we might live in a better world.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (734-20)

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' T i Dahr i Riqueza
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Gisli (Judgement 84 Wisdom) is not guilty of Blasphemy because it is not yet a crime. We condemn people for the crimes we have written down - and in fact he was wise in his efforts to remove the effects of his experiments with the aura "to trust his own judgement." Gisli is wise, knows the law, knows magic, and makes very good business decisions. He is an asset to the Empire, and it would be wise to see the fault of his actions, which were not illegal as dedication itself is not blasphemy. Fintan Nighthaven's poison must be cleared from the Empire, but not by killing all those he poisoned.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (266-924)
* '''Notes:''' Scrutiny was extended on this judgement by '''Silas of the Cenotaph''', the [[Cardinal of Wisdom]]

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisisted Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer (J29) and found her courage evident. She has a strong theology and practical virtue is important to her. She is fully aware of what she needs courage to face and what challenges are within her capabilities more easily. She faces things clearly and knows when to press forward and when to try new approaches and I feel she will continue to work on her soul, improve this empire and inspire others to act for a long time.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisited Ida the River today at 15:00 about courage. She spoke well of her virtue and the challenges she faces in life, the ways she faces dangers and failures. Others of the hospital spoke well of her, Tiberius described her as his rock, the most steadfast mother and north star Kellen of Kingstoke attributed Ida's courage with her continuing at the hospital. Ambrove di Sarvos talked of Ida pushing them forwards to establish connections. Emileo di Sarvos talked of her not hesitating. Isolde said she gives others courage, not aiming to inspire just doing a ripple of virtue from her actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (130-00)

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Harwyn Eternal described his loyalty and conviction in seeing Navarr best represented in military council. I think that this conviction is a testament to his loyalty to Navarr. However, his actions have not build up the people and team that forms the Navarr contingent of the military council. I call Harwyn to tell me in a years time of the actions that he takes from today to act with his virtue to aid this team and the goals of the military council team, in the interest of elevating his words with actions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (66-0)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Following the inquisition of Dagon Barossa it was clear that whilst his intention was virtuous, his decision to give away the shield intended for the Champion of Loyalty lacked loyalty. It tore down his fellows and his words and deeds not united. I task Dagon to suffer the curse Bitter Mantle of the Leaden Crown next season. Even the strongest may err, the truly great learn from what scars them
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (208-0)

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Neve, over the long dark, lost all her oaths in sacrifice to the Empire. SHE decided the price was of worth against the Duvanku. Without her, all of Sarangrave would have been plunged into the depths of a winter curse upon the lands. She tooks this great sacrifice in loyalty to the Dreadshields, to Navarr, and to the Empire, with Pride and great Courage. May she be Branded to honour her actions, knowing they will be remembered and respected, and testimony her with "Oathsworn Renewed"
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (142-0)

===Judgement 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisited the Earl of Fools, along with several others. He was pleasant if nervous and demonstrated a clear growth of virtue and courage to acknowledge his actions. I wish him well in future endeavours and look forward to his benevolence in his virtue and in the future
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (84-0)

==Recognition==
Two judgements of [[recognition]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' To recognise Zemress i Ezamara i Erigo as a Paragon of Prosperity. Her Exemplardom is known. There is no question of Benevolence, Inspiration, Pilgrimage, Salvation and Legacy. There never has been. No voices have spoken out against her Liberation. No Past Life Visions to be seen, and no ashes yet found. For Miracles we need only look. Look to the past. The Kraken's Bane returning to post. She was thought lost in the bay with her captain. But there She came. Un-crewed. Bound for home. Look to the present. The Captain's Touch, a treasure trove of True Auras tied to Zemress. Hallows a-plenty, easy to find by simply asking an enthusiastic Zemress at Anvil. The Summah already recognise our captain. In times of uncertainty, let us look to stories we know are true; a Paragon that already teaches the Known World what a Prosperity looks like
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (223-30)

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Masha Sigeling
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise Rahvin as an Exemplar of Courage and the first Ancestor Exemplar. <u>Inspiration</u> Fighting against the Druj, surrounded on all fronts, he inspired his people and thousands of others to fight to the bitter end, courageously standing for what they believed in, time and again. <u>Benevolence</u> Rahvin suffered greatly in the fight for the freedom of the Barrens, committing his life to bring about a better future for his people. <u>Liberation</u> Many individuals close to Rahvin report hearing his voice as an Ancestor, proof that, from his courageous actions he has crossed the Howling Abyss. <u>Legacy</u> Though the Rahvin (people) were thought destroyed by the Druj, they lived on, and fight now in his name to drive the Druj east into the sea. <u>Salvation</u> Rahvin was the driving force behind the uprising against the Druj in the Barrens, sending them to the howling abyss and ultimately leading to his followers working with the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (238-10)

==Appointment==
Twenty one [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Heilyn Bronwen’s Rest''' was appointed with 126 votes; Gorwen received 20 votes; Mabel received 20 votes; Syene received 12 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of the Way]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Volya Nebov''' was appointed with 78 votes; Yosephus Morningson received 42 votes; Kosta-Konstanin Rabovich Bolotnikov received 30 votes; Tabris, Son or Armisael received 22 votes; Brynn Tendfallen received 10 votes

===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Caleb of the Cenotaph''' was selected with 426 votes; Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg received 170 votes; Aspar received 150 votes; Gaelen Embercast received 146 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 132 votes; Mirella of the Twisted Rose received 106 votes; Starac Sijed Orzel received 74 votes; Mel of the Mourn received 44 votes; Frater Pontius of Adoniran’s Temple received 42 votes; Tom Appleseed received 30 votes

===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Talos of the Silent Tide''' was appointed with 206 votes; Skaldsgrym Dunhearth received 40 votes; Haungar Oakenlegs received 38 votes; Shibboleth Tzipporah received 36 votes

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arbiter of the Four Winds]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Donato of the Crucible''' was appointed with 98 votes

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Hand to the Dance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Farren Silver Streams''' was appointed with 90 votes; Emrys Barbbearer Edgestalker received 41 votes; Brynn Tendfallen received 28 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Barbs]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Eirlys Ashes Blaze''' was appointed with 187 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nicodemus of Balthazar’s Vineyard''' was appointed with 404 votes

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the Printers' Guild Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Fabio Costas d’Apulian''' was appointed with 106 votes

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Purslane Artorigus''' was appointed with 116 votes; Lord Roland de Lagriffe received 86 votes; Earl Cerys de Rosier received 70 votes

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Katchiana Razorradze''' was appointed with 80 votes; Vespasian received 48 votes; Kali Keen-Eye received 34 votes

===Judgement 59===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lantern Wolf]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nadia von Holberg''' was appointed with 176 votes; Katarina Palantini received 60 votes; Savi Avocatt received 34 votes

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of the Orchard]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Basil Goodbeard''' was appointed with 150 votes

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of Oaths]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Veikko Bondforger''' was appointed with 398 votes

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Masha Sigeling''' was appointed with 110 votes; Ada of House Meliora received 32 votes

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Grieftender of the Forgotten]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Miroslav Temnavoda''' was appointed with 142 votes

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[High Exorcist]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Belial de Courtenay-Wyldrose''' was appointed with 6 votes. Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun received 1 vote

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nim of Ebons Hall''' was appointed with 132 votes. Gwen Tendfallen received 22 votes

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Basilisk of the Bourse]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Alfred Aewulfson''' was appointed with 7 votes

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Hand of Guerra]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra''' was appointed with 74 votes

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Bryce the Hare''' was appointed with 94 votes

==Rewarding==
Fourteen judgements of [[rewarding]] were presented to the General Assembly during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Valentin Ivarovich Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' The Inspirational Tomb of Ozren de Orzel has been chosen and will include an Academy of the Arts and Apartments for the High Bard of the Empire! At the formal consecration with True Liao the Culwich Witches of Weirwater have promised gifts and recognition to the Eighty-One (81) named musicians and poets chosen by the High Bard in early 386. Nearly half the funding for this Virtuous endeavour is secured. The True Liao is held in preparation. We are almost there! I request the General Assembly’s support in a Rewarding from the Virtue fund of 40 Thrones to complete the purchase of white granite to build the Bardic Academy of the Exemplar Ozren to support the ongoing work of the High Bards of the Empire and secure the Proud legacy of the 81 named performers celebrating Imperial Virtue and wonderous deeds!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (470-662)

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ioan Longshadow
* '''Judgement:''' Since the death of Empress Britta, the Anvil Hospital has stood as a beacon of Quiet Courage and Virtue. It has not been sustained by the Empire’s coffers, but by the Prosperity of private citizens and the relentless goodwill of volunteers. These individuals face the brutal aftermath of battle, keep soldiers in the fight, and tend to those who support them on and off the battlefield. Their Courage is not loud - but it is unyielding. And it has been overlooked for far too long. I seek the aid of the General Assembly for this Virtuous cause and request a rewarding from the Virtue Fund of 10 thrones for the purchase of herbs, mana, liao, and other essential resources in support of the Hospital - and by extension, the Empire. Let us honour the Quiet Courage of those who give their time, effort, and resources to the Hospital. Courage does not only charge - it heals, it endures, and it refuses to break.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (1242-106)

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ser Lorell Copiste
* '''Judgement:''' It is no secret that with Dawn’s deficiency in wealth, the nation struggles to build anything of use. So that this issue may be solved, Lord Morgann de Vere, ever prideful of his homeland, ambitiously seeks 8 wains of Weirwood from the Virtue Fund, to help in constructing a great work that benefits not only Weirwater, but the nation of Dawn entire. Let Lord Morgann be rewarded, and your prosperity shall greatly aid the Dawnish people.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (300-808)

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Serrusto Caeli Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' I seek to reward VITTORE van TEMESCHWAR The sum of TWENTY-TWO THRONES From the virtue fund for having prosperously created multiple items of office and regalia for Imperial titles and to assist in his further works in this endeavour
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (382-628)

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Erasmo di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' We reward Bleddri Eternal with fifteen thrones. Bleddri has spent more than 40 thrones of his own funds on codifying two rituals. Stars Mantle has already been added to Imperial Lore. Revelations of the Past, which shares a vision of an item’s past beyond the ritualist’s coven, will be added to Imperial Lore shortly after being loaned to the Academy for a period. This kind of generous prosperity should be encouraged and rewarded.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (400-582)

===Judgement 58===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Laurencio di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Over 150 Imperial Fleet Captains forwent personal prosperity to support the Unguerdoned Red Wind Corsairs in destroying the pirate-cultist navy of the Children of Wrecks effectively closing a front. We reward them with 40 Thrones to be shared between them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (620-424)

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Anatolij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' I am seeking 6 wains of white granite to create a monument to the Silent Bell sodality to reward their tireless work Vigilantly and Courageously defending this Empire and furthering our knowledge of the Way. I have the Senate announcement, I have the labour costs, all I need is the white granite
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, partial (three white granite) (528-334)

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Geraint Bronwen's Rest with 16 weirwood to be put towards the City of Dreams. This is an investment in to the future of Navarr and will allow us to seek new ways to use liao
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (434-389)

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lia Adelaar
* '''Judgement:''' The Kleists of Holberg have, through their ingenuity and tireless effort, succeeded in raising the walls of Holberg to be the greatest fortification in the known world. Funds for this great work (500T) come from the Kleists' efforts co-ordinating the prosperity of our citizens and from their own pockets. We ask for a rewarding of 8 white granite in recognition of their great Ambition and Prosperity, and to support future projects including the Imperatrix docks.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, but none remain (408-380)

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cyrus of Athaliah's Handiwork
* '''Judgement:''' We award Naomi of Felix's Watch, 5 wains of white granite towards the restoration of Berechiah's Basilica in Bastion, which is in a dangerous state of disrepair, and is a threat to the life and limb of pilgrims. It was consecrated with true liao in 385YE and has provided only a fraction of the benefit it might have. Now, when we need Berechiah's inspiration to fight foreign espionage rings is the perfect time to complete the work and create a new title to be appointed by the Vigilance Assembly
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (672-214)

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Catena
* '''Judgement:''' To bring the Way to the hermit kingdom of Tsark, we must <u>talk</u> to them. An opportunity to build that bridge has arisen in the form of the Garden of the Perfect World - this will allow us to trade weirwood to them for white granite and improve the Prosperity of us both. This door was opened by Abel the Rounder, and I ask that this Assembly provide him 8 wains of weirwood in order that it may be built as soon as possible.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, but none remain (188-154)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Emrys Fleurir
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Ser Raine Fisher with 16 Weirwood for their efforts in rousing Dawnish fleets to aid the Red Wind Corsairs, so that they may fund Ambitious projects to increase the Empire's naval strength.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (178-248)

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Xandor Trodbroker
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Eleri Bronwyns Rest with 6 wains of mithril to be put towards the army currently mustering in Hercynia. The army will be put to use defending the Empire's borders to help safeguard the spiritual centre of the Way
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld, full amount (261-106)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' We reward Halwyn Splitroot for achieving the great ambition of rebuilding and consecrating First Voice Glade and School inspiring pride and increasing prosperity within the Empire. We grant him 16 weirwood as reward for this great work and in the knowledge that this will support his efforts to further improve the Glade and School to benefit the prosperity and herbal knowledge of the Vallornguard
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (144-146)

==Inquisition==
===Writs of Inquisition===
The following writs of inquisition were issued this summit:
{|
| '''Called by''' || '''Subject''' || '''Judgement or Title''' || '''Matter'''
|-
| Iniska Ashwood || [[Emperor Vesna|Emperor Vesna Borkovna Prochnost]] || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Prosperty]] || Their [[Prosperity]]
|-
| Maarit Suvidottir || (the Face of) the Earl of Fools || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]] || Taking [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
|-
| Arvel Tendfallen || Silas of the Cenotaph || TBC || Canvassing against a [[Judgement]] at the previous summit
|-
| Brother Geoffrey Orchard || Ibiss Briarheart || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Vigilance]] || [[Realm#Spring|Spring]], its perils & lessons, at the Spring summit
|-
| Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost || Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose || [[Imperial Inquisitor]] || Their dealings with [[Irra Harah]]
|-
| Cato Hypation || [[To_fight_aloud#Fallen_Hero|Severus of the Blinding Sun]] || TBC || His [[The_deepest_cut#Interred_With_Their_Bones|creed]]
|-
| Vauraus "Prosperity's Forge" Korppitkotka || Natalia "The Falcon" Barossa || [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]] || Their work as [[Quartermaster General of the Imperial Armies]]
|-
| Galene Netherwatch || Mirella of the Twisted Rose || [[Arcane Inquisitor]] || Her work as [[Archmage of Summer]], especially with regards to [[Knights of Glory]]
|-
| Jedediah Boon || Brother Geoffrey Orchard || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Pride]] || Words and acts of questionable virtue
|-
| Alfred Eawolfson || Tristan Ramson von Holberg || [[Basilisk of the Bourse]] || Virtue and Economics, at the Spring summit
|-
| Eevi of the Gadrai || Bloodcrow Rasp || [[Virtue Inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]] || Bonds built across the Empire
|}

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Winter Solstice.
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Wintermark unless enacted by the Wintermark Assembly. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in the nation, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[The_final_cut#Questions_for_Wintermark|The final cut]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Winter Solstice 387YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>88 thrones, 15 rings</td><td>6 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>16 wains</td><td>1 dose</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>65 thrones, 7 crowns, 16 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>104 thrones, 11 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 1 throne, 2 crowns at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]]
* 2 thrones at the counting house of [[Tassato]]
* 1 throne, 3 crowns at the counting house of [[Semmerholm]]
* 1 throne, 4 crowns at the counting house of [[Karsk]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 10 thrones to '''Ioan Longshadow''' following [[#Judgement 12|Judgement 12]] being upheld (margin 1136)
* 5 wains of white granite to '''Cyrus of Athaliah's Handiwork''' following [[#Judgement 103|Judgement 103]] being upheld (margin 458)
* 40 thrones to '''Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos''' following [[#Judgement 58|Judgement 8]] being upheld (margin 196)
* 3 wains of white granite to '''Anatolij''' following [[#Judgement 87|Judgement 87]] being upheld (margin 194)
* 6 wains of mithril to '''Xandor Trodbroker''' following [[#Judgement 121|Judgement 121]] being upheld (margin 155)
* 16 wains of weirwood to '''Oleander Ashwood''' following [[#Judgement 90|Judgement 90]] being upheld (margin 45)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 65 thrones for the Bourse dose of True Liao from '''Umbar'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Martel'''
* 16 rings in small donations
</div>

==Doses of True Liao==

Six doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to '''Caleb of the Cenotaph''' via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to '''Umbar''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Ashborn Trosk''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Amberlain P. Black''' by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 53 || 742 || 372
|-
|Courage || 41 || 492 || 247
|-
|Loyalty || 61 || 788 || 395
|-
|Pride || 36 || 440 || 221
|-
|Prosperity || 42 || 513 || 257
|-
|Vigilance || 47 || 532 || 267
|-
|Wisdom || 41 || 554 || 278
|-
|The Way || 29 || 320 || 161
|-
|General || 350 || 4381 || 2191
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 15 || 166 || 84
|-
|Dawn || 51 || 672 || 337
|-
|Highguard || 74 || 940 || 471
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 9 || 138 || 70
|-
|League || 36 || 514 || 258
|-
|Marches || 22 || 250 || 126
|-
|Navarr || 43 || 499 || 250
|-
|Urizen || 27 || 314 || 158
|-
|Varushka || 31 || 398 || 200
|-
|Wintermark || 42 || 490 || 246
|-
|General || 350 || 4381 || 2191
|-
|}

A wild night and a new road

2026-04-11T13:50:31Z

Rosemary: /* Jackals, Ports, and Buidelrats */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>Out of the corner of her eye, De Leeuw watched the Imperial merchant poring over the glass cases with the bounty of rings, necklets, and more exotic adornments that filled her shop. She hadn't seen the like before. He'd paused outside to make use of the boot scraper, and the had sloughed off his shoes once he saw the sable carpet. Someone who knew how to get around a marsh, mused De Leeuw. A nice change. Most of the Imperials she had dealt with were smartly dressed League merchants or brightly coloured Freeborn. Often as not they were unfamiliar with the realities of the Delves, and invariably tracked mud into her shop. Not this fellow, though.

She kept being drawn to the mask he was hearing, though. A thing of bone and feathers, with a beak like a crows. She itched to ask if it was a real beak or not - she couldn't tell. Most of her clients wore a little jewellery and the Imperial was no exception; uncharacteristically though he seemed to eschew gold and silver, preferring dragonbone and what looked to be polished flint. Strange choices, Yet she didn't doubt he had the money to be here; his coat and trousers were beautifully decorated and spoke of prosperity and position.

At last he spoke. "I was wondering about these pieces," he said casually. She smiled inwardly. She had made a bet with herself that this was what he was here for. She smoothly moved over, lifting the glass bell jar that covered her new pieces.

"You are a person of discernment," she said in fluent Imperial (it always paid to address a customer in their own language). "These are fine pieces indeed, especially for someone versed in magic. See here? This necklace is of orichalcum and tempest jade; a beautiful piece you'll agree. Yet its true value lies in its provenance - each of the jewels bears a tiny portion of starlight from certain stars. If you know what you are doing, that starlight can be used to cast potent healing spells beyond what any normal magician could attempt."

"And this one?" He pointed to the ring, set with a single eleven black stones that looked like onyx but were not.

"Oh, you have a good eye!" She flattered the customer without even thinking about it, putting the necklace down and lifting up the ring to show him how it sparkled in the light. "You may find it hard to believe, but these gems are also chips of tempest jade, treated with beggar's lye in a secret fashion that causes the colour to leech from them. The ring itself is dragonbone, polished with ambergelt. A wearer versed in the arts of death can draw on the unlight of the Unfortunate Sailor to commend the dead to speak, and they cannot resist. A rare piece indeed."

The mask-wearing Imperial pondered her words, and reached out to take the ring. He was polite enough not to touch it without permission; De Leeuw nodded. He handled it carefully as if afraid it might break. Up close, the Sarcophan jeweller could see the dark green scales spilling out from under his mask. A naga.

"And do you craft these yourself?" He asked, although there was something in his tone that told the canny shopkeeper he already knew the answer.

"Oh no, I'm afraid not." She smiled cheerfully. "Many of the articles here are either salvaged by agents, or made in-house. Not these ones, though. These come from far across the sea. From a nation of magicians. I will not be gauche enough to name it given the current political differences between your people and theirs..."

He nodded slowly.

"These difficulties give your people an opportunity for significant profit it seems."

She flashed him another smile, revealing even more of her razor-sharp teeth this time. "Indeed it does," she said. "But at the end of the day there is always profit in taking things from places others cannot or will not go, and selling them on. That case over there for example bears pearl rings recovered at no small danger from the wreck of the ''Edmund Fitzgerald'' for example, drowned fifty years ago in the Sea of Teeth. You will find similar treasures throughout the quarter. These are simply recovered from a slightly drier place, with a different kind of danger."

He seemed preoccupied. There was something else.

"Are you interested in the star jewels then," she asked?

"I am... but I am also interested in something else." He cleared his throat. "Something... less polished?"

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry? I don't follow?"

"Something in the line of... condiments." He did not look at her as he asked. She resisted laughter.

"Oh I see! I see your problem immediately of course but I'm afraid I only sell jewellery. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone in the Jakhalsmarkt who carries what you are looking for, if I understand you right."

He sighed. She got the impression that De Leeuw's was not the first establishment he had visited asking about Jarmish... condiments.

"I am sorry to have wasted your time then," he said. "I will be on my way."

As he turned, she tutted and leant forward, laying one ivory-pale hand on his sleeve.

"So hasty, you Imperials," she said. "I said ''I'' didn't carry... condiments. I didn't say I couldn't ''help'' you."

He turned round. De Leeuw smiled like a happy shark.

"But first let's talk about which of my delicious star jewels you are going to buy. And then we can talk of... condiments."</ic>

{{CaptionedImage|file=AmbassadorSarcophanDelves.jpg|caption='''Dino i Riqueza''', Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves|align=left|width=300}}
==Overview==
Each season the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the Senate and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response.

The merchant-princes of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] - the ''bedelaar huisbaas'' - strive for neutrality. They are enthusiastic about trade with the Empire, but their neutrality is precious to them. They hold it a mark of pride that they will deal with anyone who has goods, services, or money. While they have given up the practice of slavery without regret, they refuse to pick a side between the [[Liberty Pact]] and the Freedom Accord. Their primary goal is to ensure the ports of the world remain open to their ships, ideally with [[Tariffs#Free_Trade|free trade]] agreements that allow their merchants to operate without onerous [[tariffs]]. They have recently declared the ''Pax Sarcophan'' - a commitment to combat piracy and ensure that independent traders are free to sail [[the seven seas]] regardless of the politics of the great powers.

The Sarcophan ambassador to the Empire is ''Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike'', of the Tower of Crows. She reports to the beggar-landlords of Sarcophan, and is known to be a wily and subtle diplomat. No stranger to the murkier waters of espionage and intelligence-gathering, she constantly seeks opportunities to expand the influence of the Sarcophan mercantile Empire across the Known World. She has no particular loyalty to any one faction; her main concern appears to be the prosperity of the nation as a whole.
{{Nation|nation=[[Sarcophan Delves]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]] and [[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Betovering|Betovering]]|ambassador= Dino i Riqueza of [[the Brass Coast]]}}
==Polite Correspondence==
* '''The usual pleasantries have been exchanged between the Empire and the Delves
* '''The Delves remain concerned about the proscription of consuming human meat but have been reassured by the Ambassador
* '''Interest in investing in the Celesti Lighthouse remains strong for the time being
* '''Snowstorm Henk has safely arrived in the Delves to being research into Sarcophan knowledge of sea-based eternals
* '''There is news of a visiting delegation from Beoraidh supported by the Delves planning to visit Anvil during the Winter Solstice
Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike thanks the Ambassador for their advice around the funerary traditions of Sarcophan and how they might conflict with Imperial law. They understand the difficulty created by the van de Moerassen request, and appreciate Amassador Dino offering their advice. Hopefully this - and similar - matters can be dealt with sensibly going forward.

[[Historical_research#Snowstorm_Henk|Snowstorm Henk]] has arrived safely in the Delves following the [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Research_Eternals_of_the_Sea|commission of research]] by '''Watt of Lambrook''', the [[Minister of Historical Research]]. Funds to support the expedition have been provided by the Senate, and the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] researcher has by all accounts been warmly received. They are busy speaking with [[Sarcophan_Delves#Magic|zielweven]] about their knowledge of Khobel Tavah in particular. Their report is due shortly before the Spring Equinox.

There is still Sarcophan interest in investing in the expansion of the [[For_those_in_peril_on_the_sea#The_Celesti_Lighthouse|Celesti Lighthouse]], but it is contingent on the Senate commissioning the lighthouse as a significant fortification to protect Oran. The commission actually completed represents a more modest structure albeit one with a magically imbued beacon thanks to the [[eternal]] [[Kimus]]. While Bedelaar-Huisbaas Annike confirms interest, she cautions that it will be all too easy for investors to shift their attention elsewhere - perhaps to the city-state of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] and suggests that if the expansion of the lighthouse is not commissioned by the end of the Spring equinox the opportunity will be lost. For now details of the arrangement remain as laid out in the '''[[All_the_night-tide#Investment_in_the_Brass_Coast|in the night-tide]]''' wind of fortune.

On the subject of Beoraidh, the Ambassador has also raised the matter of Sarcophan involvement in the little city-state. Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike has discussed the Ambassador's suggestions with the entrepreneurs involved in Mareave, and stresses that the Delves is excited by the opportunities presented by the city-state and can't wait to start developing their presence there. Yet at the same time they have no interest in antagonising their Imperial friends; the Delves has every interest in smoothing relations between the Empire and Beoraidh. Indeed, partly thanks to their influence, some representatives of Beoraidh are planning to visit Anvil during the Winter Solstice to speak with their [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]] neighbours. Some of the Delves merchants dealing directly with the folk of western Mareave will be supporting them.

As Beoraidh is an independent state, it is Annike's understanding that the [[Imperial Consul]] will be dealing with any diplomatic matters relating to them. Obviously Annike hopes that the Ambassador and the Consul can liase on any other concerns they have about Sarcophan involvement in Beoraidh. Further information about the situation with Beoraidh can be found in the '''[[TBC]]''' wind of fortune.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Canis aureus syriacus.jpg|align=right|width=300}}{{CaptionedImage|file=Buidelrats.jpg|align=right|width=300}}</div>

==Jackals, Ports, and Buidelrats==
* '''Trade with Jakhalsmarkt has been something of a success and extended for another season at least
* '''The Commonwealth seem unaware that Imperial traders are buying goods explicitly created by Jarmish crafters
* '''The house of the Buidelrat are pestering Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike about their proposal to open the port of Moeraskriden
During the Autumn equinox the ''Annabel de Gouden'' of the [[Founders of the Delves#The Jackal|House of the Jackal]] secured access for Imperial traders to the [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]]. Masters of the jewel-trade in the Delves, the various families of the Jackal House are experts in acquiring, evaluating, and securing markets for precious materials and ornaments. Annabel de Gouden was apparently pleased with the response of Imperial captains - and especially impressed by enthusiastic reports of dealings with several [[Wintermark]] captains particularly one '''Bron Mordssen''' whose impressive ships drew quite a stir when they arrived in [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]] where the Jakhalsmarkt is located.

Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike confided in the Ambassador that as long as the trade proved lucrative, de Gouden would likely keep the port open. That has indeed proven to be the case, with Annabel cheerfully claiming that it was her plan all along to provide Imperial access at least until the end of the year (which was not what she said in her original proposal). As such, Imperial fleets can continue to visit the Jakhalsmarkt after the Winter Solstice, and potentially even longer if the demand is there.

Obviously, the crow in the parlour is that one of the draws of the Jakhalsmarkt are the ''star jewels'' - magical jewellery bought by Sarcophan traders in the [[Principalities of Jarm]] and sold at a reasonable mark-up to Imperial citizens. The trade here is a little less cut and dried than that taking place in the [[When_peace_was_far_away#Free_Port|port of Radosmo]] but the Commonwealth may not see a difference - especially given they are already [[The_price_is_great#Liberty|apparently quite annoyed]] about the trade in Zemelso. Buying goods that are definitely Jarmish still puts money in the pockets of the Magician-Princes after all.

While the Jakhalsmarkt has been a success, Annike admits to being pestered by the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Buidelrat|House of the Buidelrat]] regarding an agreement they [[All_the_night-tide#Moeraskriden|proposed]] to allow Imperial captains access to the port of ''Moeraskriden''. In return They requested the [[dissemination]] of some ritual texts related to herbs by the [[Conclave]]. They have apparently heard nothing. In traditional diplomatic fashion, the Bedelaar Huisbaas of the Tower of the Crow has passed the pestering on. Can Ambassador Dino offer any information about Conclave deliberations on this matter? Is there some other agreement that might be more palatable to the [[Grandmaster|Grandmasters]]? Or should the Buidelrat just accept that there is no interest in their offer and move on (and stop pestering the Tower of the Raven)?

Both the [[All_the_night-tide#Jakhalsmarkt|Jakhalsmarkt]] and the proposed deal for access to [[All_the_night-tide#Moeraskriden|Moeraskriden]] are described in more detail in the '''[[All the night-tide]]''' wind of fortune from last event.
{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}

==Children of Wrecks==
* '''The Sarcophan Delves are prepared to offer support in fighting the Children of Wrecks if it is required'''
* '''The Ambassador to the Delves, Senator for Sarvos, or Senator for Madruga can enlist their aid at the cost of 12 Thrones'''
* '''They insist they will only fight as part of a force that is supported by the Imperial Guerdon'''
Along with the Ambassador, some private individuals - including apparently '''Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos''' the [[Senator]] for [[Sarvos]] - wrote to to thank Sarcophan for their intervention during the [[Those_that_break_a_thing#Battle_of_Trivento|attack on Trivento]] by the Children of Wrecks during Summer. Two dozen Sarcophan vessels supported the [[Red Wind Corsairs]], driven by a palpable disdain for pirates and cutthroats. Most of these vessels were from the Alivetti estates, but several belonged to the [[Prime_Factor_of_the_deBruin_Docks#deBruin_Docks|deBruin]]. Annike thanks the Empire for their kind words, but plays down Sarcophan involvement as being "merely good business sense".

However, the DeBruin family are keen to offer mercenary support toward any attack on the Children of Wrecks - specifically securing [[Madruga#Free Landing|Free Landing]]. Experienced in fighting from boats and around islands, the DeBruin are also apparently ''well'' up for kicking the snot out of the Children of Wrecks who they see as the worst kind of pirate - indiscriminate and savage. Assuming the Empire wants their aid. As Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike note, the Empire's ship captains have their own bones to pick over with regard to the servants of ''Hullbreaker''.

If they want DeBruin aid, the Ambassador themselves, the [[Senator]] for [[Madruga]] '''Eulàlia i Phovas i Riqueza''', or the Senator for [[Sarvos]] (the aforementioned '''Laurencio Lemmini di Sarvos''') can indicate as such in a missive to Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike. They can specify which [[army]] they want the DeBruin to support, or leave it to the Sarcophan to allocate their own forces. Regardless, the expertise and resources of the DeBruin will add an additional 1,500 effective strength to any attack on [[Madruga#Free_Landing|Free Landing]]. They will participate in the next attack, provided it takes place before the start of Summer.

Their aid will cost 12 Thrones, paid in advance. ('''OOC Note:''' If the Ambassador or one of the Senators wishes to take advantage of this offer they can do so by emailing {{plot}} and ensuring the 12 Thrones are in their inventory after the event. If more than one person does this they'll take a portion of their payment from each). However, they have an additional requirement - that they are up-front about. For ethical reasons they will only participate in an attack against the Children of Wrecks if the force they support receives a portion of the [[Military_unit#Guerdon_Shares|Imperial guerdon]]. They won't claim it themselves - the DeBruin will act if they're paid the agreed amount of money for their involvement - but as a matter of principle they won't fight alongside other soldiers who are "not being paid for risking their lives." It's an odd point of order for the Delves, but one they are quite adamant about.

In the equally unlikely event that the Children of Wrecks manage to fight off the might of the Empire, they're happy to commit troops each season until the Wreckers are dealt with and Free Landing is back in Imperial hands - provided they are paid each season and the force they support receives the Imperial Guerdon of course.

==Alivetti Estates Five Years On==
* '''It is the five-year anniversary of the Sarcophan enclave in Sarvos
* '''The enclave appears to be prospering despite magisterial dissatisfaction with many of the goods sold there
It has been five years since the [[Sarvos#Sarcophan_Enclave|Alivetti estate]] enclave in [[Sarvos]] was established. [[Ratify_treaty_with_the_Sarcophan_Delves_Autumn_383YE|Conceded by treaty]] in late 383YE, the first new buildings were completed shortly before the Winter Solstice of that year. The ruined estates that once belonged to the guild of [[Empress Giselle]] have been transformed; Sarcophan engineers with experience draining marshes and building on flooded ground have constructed towers in the Sarcophan style which now now rise over both carefully preserved ruins and newly expanded docks.

For the most part relations between the Sarcophan and their Imperial neighbours have been cordial - beneficial even. The magistracy is still frustrated that the Sarcophan refuse to stop selling things the Empire considers illegal to visitors who want to buy them, but the treaty leaves no opportunity for them to enter Alivetti without an invitation. Mostly Imperial visitors are sensible enough to consume the drugs they buy ''in situ'' rather than try smuggling them back into the Empire proper. Mostly.

Much - but by no means all - of the trade that passes through Alivetti consists of herbs, medicinal potions, and luxuries from various parts of the Known World. Business is booming, and news has reached the Ambassador's office that ''Burgemeester Vandersaar'' plans a lavish party to celebrate five years of prosperity and opportunity.
{{WingedMessenger|address=Missives pertinent to the Alivetti Estates can be directed to ''Burgomeester Oudolf Vandersaar, Duifstraat, Alivetti Estates, Sarvos''. The Burgomeester has made it clear that the life of a Sarcophan burgomeester is a hectic one and replies are likely to be short when they relate to anything other than the enclave. Business with Sarcophan citizens trading from the enclave would be best addressed to them directly, and anything related to the wider Sarcophan Delves should go through Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike.}}
===Prosperity and Opportunity===
* '''The Sarcophan are having a party at the Alivetti estates
* '''Imperial citizens, especially those of Sarvos, are invited to attend and discuss business
* '''Immediately after the Winter solstice a new diversification option is available
Burgemeester Vandersaar invites their neighbours not only in Sarvos but in [[Tassato]], [[Casinea]], [[Necropolis]], and [[Madruga]] to attend the upcoming party. They plan to celebrate in style, with a weeklong festival of drinking, music, recreation, theatrical performances, urban athletic events, and new business discussions. Festivities will start the week after the Winter Solstice. A traditional cleaning-out event will be held in which Sacrophan citizens engage in a flurry of cleaning that culminates in bonfires where rubbish - literal and metaphorical - is burnt. It will end with a traditional ''rat run'' in which business owners don rat masks and sack cloth and skulk through the streets pursued by children who can demand sweets and other treats if they catch them.

There is also an old tradition that any deals struck during a festival such as this are as binding as those arranged when both participants are sober. This custom is usually observed by a resolution among participants not to make any ''important'' deals during this time and restrict themselves to minor agreements and contracts, but there are always stories of people who have bartered their ways into a fortune in an inebriated state (or lost the same, of course).

This presents an opportunity to citizens of the nations invited - [[the League]], [[Highguard]], and [[the Brass Coast]]. [[Business]] owners from one of these three nations who attend the festivities will be able to secure small but potentially valuable deals. After the Winter Solstice any player whose character owns a [[business]] in one of these nations can choose a free [[Business#Diversification|diversification]] option. Their business provides 36 rings fewer, but will instead provide two random ingots, two random measures, or two random herbs each downtime (as chosen by the player).

Furthermore, following the Winter solstice, every business owner in Sarvos, Tassato, Madruga, Casinea, and Necropolis will receive two doses of a random consumable acquired from the Alivetti Estates. These consumables represent either treats picked up during the party, or goods acquired after the event from Imperial citizens who did attend. Most of these consumables will be harmless - but there is a chance some will not be legal in the Empire. The magistrates, already a little stretched, will find it almost impossible to prevent Imperial citizens bringing illegal goods out of Alivetti intentionally or accidentally. ('''OOC Note:''' Business owners who wish to ensure they have nothing to do with this dubious activity should hand these consumables back to GOD when they collect their pack).
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Freeborn.png|align=right|width=190}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly Highborn.png|align=right|width=170}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly League.png|align=right|width=200}}
===Party Planning===
* '''The National Assemblies of the three nations could discourage their citizens from attending
* '''Alternatively they could wholeheartedly embrace and contribute to the ceremonies
* '''Burgemeester Vandersaar plans to give a gift to the people of Sarvos if the festivities are well attended
The celebrations of the enclaves' founding provides an opportunity for the neighbouring nations to consider their relationship with the Sarcophan Delves. During the Winter Solstice the League, Highborn, and Freeborn National Assemblies can take the opportunity to either enthusiastically support or clearly discourage participation in the anniversary celebrations using a [[mandate]]. If they do not, then their citizens will attend or not as they see fit, with the effects described above. If they do enact a mandate the outcome will depend on which approach they take.

An assembly might discourage their people from attending by reminding their citizens of the importance of following Imperial law and the danger of celebrating with heretics and blasphemers,

{{Mandate|mandate=The Sarcophan folk of the Alivetti estates celebrate their enclave, but we must all remain Vigilant to the threats it may represent. While they seem to be honest traders, their ways are not our ways, and their faith is very different to ours. Their refusal to acnowledge Imperial law is a challenge to the Empire and we send (named priest) with 25 liao to urge all virtuous citizens who must attend this gathering to keep their wits about them and reamin alert for threats within and without.|assembly=Highborn, Freeborn, or League National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, individual player characters from the nation can roleplay that they attend, but there will be no opportunities for them to diversify their business, and no consumables will be received by businesses near the enclave. It will also send a message to the Alivetti estates that while that nation tolerates them, they do not welcome further engagement. For at least the next year there will be no more approaches from the Delves to that nation.

Alternatively, one or more of the three nations might choose to encourage their people to accept the hospitality of the Delves, and enthusiastically participate with their own contributions.

{{Mandate|mandate=The Sarcophan folk of the Alivetti estates bring prosperity to the Empire, and help smooth relations between Empire and Delves. We join them in proudly celebrating both our differences and similarities. and send (named priest) with 25 liao and 10 Thrones to both encourage the businessfolk of our nation to take up this offer, and to ensure that we are good guests and bring gifts of our own to share with our hosts.|assembly=Highborn, Freeborn, or League National Assembly}}

If this mandate is passed, it will increase the opportunities available in the Alivetti Estates for everyone in that nation. They will gain four consumables rather than two, and the free diversification option following the Winter Solstice any. It will also send a message to the Delves that the folk of that nation welcome trade with the Delves, and appreciate the services offered in the enclave.

It is something of an open secret that ''Burgemeester Vandersaar'' is considering making a gift to the city at the height of the festivities. The Burgemeester has commissioned the [[schema]] for a [[:Category:Foci|magical mask]] used by Sarcophan Delves magicians. If the three Imperial nations all participate in the festivities it will reassure them that this is the right idea. If that happens, they will deliver this gift to the [[Mirrored Maschieri]] - currently '''Magdelena Alanga Di Sarvos''' - as the foremost proponent of fashion and design right across the Empire, in time for the Spring Equinox. That is provided that none of the three National assemblies enact a mandate discouraging people from attending; the gift is predicated on the celebrations being a resounding success and one or more of the three invited nations being disinterested will sour the Burgemeester on their expensive gift.

Obviously Imperial citizens have their own opinions on the matter. Among those interested in the outcome, magistrate ''Georgie Arcobalena di Sarvos'' has urged restraint and expressed concerns about the challenges of protecting the internal Imperial/Sarcophan border. On the other hand, ''Bishop Ziphania Fantoccio von Caricomare'' has spoken several times about the importance of trusting people to understand their own path of [[Pride]] and make decisions about their own behaviour without interference from the Chamber of Commerce or the League Assembly.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Burning oil lamp.jpg|caption=There are arguments that concerns about the Alivetti enclave are really a matter of Vigilance, rather than Prosperity.|align=right|width=200}}</div>
===Questions of Legality===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Walls of Liberty'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' [[Edifice]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' [[Sarvos#Caricomare|Caricomare, Sarvos]]</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 40 wains of [[white granite]], 120 crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Availability:''' One year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:'''
* Creates the title of "Alivetti Gatekeeper"
* Resolves ongoing issues of Imperial citizens bringing illegal goods out of the Sarcophan Delves enclave
* Annoys the Sarcophan Enclave
{{template:plot}}
</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Alivetti Gatekeeper'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' League</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Tally of the Votes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives an income of 19 crowns each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Oversee the Walls of Virtue and work with the Sarcophan Delves and the Ambassador to maintain relations with the Alivetti estates</td></tr>
</table>
</div>
* '''The Senate could increase funding to the magistrates to help them secure the internal border with the Sarcophan enclave'''
* '''A proposal for an actual wall to prevent smuggling has been put forward'''
* '''The wall creates an opportunity to place tariffs on Imperial citizens entering and leaving the estate to support an ''Alivetti Gatekeeper'' '''
* '''Either funding or walls would end the legal issues relating to illegality around the Enclave but annoy Burgemeester Vandersaar'''
Concerns about the clash between Imperial law, and the barely-extant laws of the Sarcophan Delves have been ongoing for some time and this festivity serves to bring them to a head. In the run up to the Winter Solstice, the magistrate notionally overseeing the area around the Alivetti Estates - the aforementioned ''Georgie Arcobalena di Sarvos'' - has finally admitted that her current resources are insufficient to the task. She has asked the chief magistrates ''Stanislav Karkovich'' and ''Cosme i Zuhri i Guerra'' for assistance. They in turn look to the [[Senate]].

The Senate could pass a [[Senate motion]] allocating increased budget to the Sarvosan magistrates explicitly to deal with the border problems experienced in Caricomare due to the tension between the laws of the two nations. This would cost an additional 10 Thrones each season but would allow Magistrate Acrobalena to stamp out smuggling - whether intentional or accidental - of proscribed substances and materials out of the Alivetti estates enclave. It would take a little time to arrange - and thus would not directly impact the upcoming celebrations that begin so soon after the Solstice - but it would effectively put a stop to the problem presented by the Sarcophan enclave for as long as the money was allocated or until the situation significantly changed.

News of the request clearly frustrates ''Bishop Ziphania Fantoccio von Caricomare'', who sees the opportunity for Imperial citizens to mingle freely with foreign visitors to the Empire's shores as an unmitigated good. In a rousing sermon delivered from his church in Sarvos, he mockingly suggests that surely it would be easier for Magistrate Arcobalena to simply build a massive wall around the enclave to remove the liberty and dignity of the people of Sarvos. Indeed, he quips, one would not even need to put a gate in it.

This being Sarvos, within a week of the sermon a plan is presented to Magistrate Arcobalena for just such a project. In the event the Senate are interested, an [[edifice]] could be constructed around the Alivetti estate that would greatly restrict easy access to the enclave. The "Walls of Liberty" would require a "mere" 40 wains of white granite, 120 crowns, and three months to complete. They would greatly restrict free passage into the enclave, making it much easier to ensure that citizens are aware of the consequences of smuggling. They would be built entirely on the Imperial side of the "border" meaning no legal impediment to their creation.

In theory, whoever commissions the wall could specify that it has no gates in it, but not even Magistrate Arcobalena thinks that is a good idea. Instead they could specify that the gates will collect tolls on Imperial citizens entering the enclave. Once the costs of operating the gates are taken into account, this would provide an income of 19 crowns each season. The proposal posits the creation of an "Alivetti Gatekeeper" - a League [[Imperial title|title]] established by [[Tally of the Votes]] who would be charged with overseeing the walls and gates, but also working with the Delves and the [[Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves|Imperial ambassador]] to maintain relations with the Alivetti estates.

This move would obviously anger ''Burgomeester Vandersaar'' but it would effectively resolve the ongoing issues with citizens bringing illegal goods out of the Sarcophan enclave. Placing a toll on the gates, and creating the consequent Imperial title, would absolutely infuriate Burgomeester Vandersaar - it is one thing to restrict trade but to do so in a way that requires a price of admission to visit the estates, as if they were an exotic menagerie is something the burgomeester would find particularly outrageous. But as long as they want to operate from the Alivetti estates, their ability to actually do anything about an Imperial wall is somewhat limited.

===The Silent Manse===
* '''The Silent Manse has been proscribed by the League assembly'''
After the Autumn Equinox, '''Cosimo Argyra''' [[387YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_127|enacted a mandate]] urging "''all Imperial citizens planning to visit the (Alivetti) estates to express only polite and civil disinterest in their unvirtuous religion''." Cautions against getting drawn into an unwholesomereligion have been heard and taken to heart and the teachings of the ''Community of Silence'' will remain restricted to the enclave. This hasn't particularly impacted the ''Community'' itself - their focus is on serving the needs of the Sarcophan rather than proselytising. It does mean that there will be no further opportunity to establish cordial relations between the Way and the Community of Silence, nor to learn about their beliefs, nor any sharing of their knowledge of ghosts and the like. But that may be a small price to pay to prevent a blasphemous and heretical faith seeking to expand into the Empire.

It is still possible to send [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messengers]] to ''Poortwachter Lenart Farber'', the leader of the Community of Silence at the Silent Manse, but anyone doing so should anticipate that there might be no response. The Community has been told loudly and clearly to focus on their own people, after all.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=240}}
==Apothecary Guild==
* '''The Sarcophan Kruidenkenner Guild are enthusiastic about closer ties with the Apothecaries' Guild
* '''The current Apothecaries' Guild Leader is Esmé i Estrico i Erigo'''
The Sarcophan Delves are masters of the arts of the herbalist, [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], and especially the [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]]. Many of their most prestigious and experienced herblorists belong to the wealthy and influential ''Kruidenkenner'' which is apparently a powerful guild that exists outside the [[Founders_of_the_Delves|thirteen houses]] in a manner analogous to an [[Imperial sodality]]. The guild is at the forefront of the trade in herbs and medicinal products and have [[Can%27t_give_everything_away#The_Apothecaries_Guild|enthusiastically sought out]] closer ties with their Imperial peers in the [[Apothecaries Guild]]. There has been some communication between '''Esmé i Estrico i Erigo''' - the [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|Guild Leader]] of the apothecaries - and luminaries of the Kruidenkenner regarding [[All_the_night-tide#Apothecary_Allies|opportunities]] to work together.

One outcome has been a proposition to [[The_circle_game#Sarcophan_and_the_Kruidenkenner|alter certain trade ministries]] to deal in metals rather than Imperial coin. It has been suggested that the returns on these trades might not be as profitable as the current arrangements. the Kruidenkenner don't deny that accusation but just point out that it is the Empire seeking to change the arrangements and that barter is inherently more expensive. More details of this arrangement can be found in the '''[[The_circle_game#Sarcophan_and_the_Kruidenkenner|The circle game]]''' wind of fortune.

The Kruidenkenner remain enthused about the [[Kruidenkenner Trademaster]] and [[Master of the Root and Stem]] being [[All_the_night-tide#Magazijn|appointed by the Apothecaries' Guild]]. While they could use heavy-handed tactics to try and force this, they acknowledge that diplomacy may provide a better solution. Indeed, adjusting their ministerial trade to use barter rather than cold hard cash may well be an attempt endear themselves to the Imperial Senate. Obviously the matter of the Master of the Root and Stem is a little moot at the moment given the [[Jotun]] have [[Rose_grow_the_rushes_o%27#The_Walls_of_Meade|captured Meade]], but the Delves consider this only a minor aberration. They are confident the Marches will reclaim their city before too long and will wait patiently until they do so, so that trade can resume. And they remain invested in seeing the Master appointed through the Apothecaries.

They are however aware that there is a problem around the appointment of the Kruidenkenner Trademaster in that, as it stands, the title is [[Auction of the Seats|auctioned]] to raise money for the [[Imperial treasury]]. Their proposal is that if the Senate does amend the appointment of the Kruidenkenner and the Master of Root and Stem to the Apothecaries' Guild, they would also be prepared to shift the [[Custodian_of_Ivarsgard_Docks#Sarcophan_Traders|Custodian of Ivarsgard Docks]] to deal in ambergelt, the [[High_Herbalist_of_Sybella#The_Kruidenkennerx|High Herbalist of Sybella]] to deal in dragonbone, and the [[Master_of_the_Clearing_House#The_Kruidenkenner|Master of the Clearing House]] to deal in beggar's lye. With the blessing of Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike, Ambassador Dino could present all these changes as part of a treaty with the Delves rather than as a series of separate senate motions.
===Prescriptions===
* '''The matter of who has the power to disseminate potion herbals has been raised by the Kruidenkenner'''
* '''The manifesto of the Guild approved by the Senate suggests they should have this power but this has not yet been legally confirmed'''
* '''The Constitutioanl Court have asked the Speaker to raise an administrative motion to settle the matter'''

The Kruidenkenner have already [[All_the_night-tide#Herbal_Lore|raised the matter of trading herbal lore]] with the Apothecaries. Unfortunately, their proposal still requires some kind of legal response. While the Guild has the acknowledged legal power to [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Imperial_Lore|spread knowledge of potions]] across the Empire, their ability to do so beyond the Empire is in question. The Conclave has the power of [[dissemination]] to allow them to create copies of rituals in Imperial lore to share with non-Imperial citizens. Who now holds the legal power to do so?

In the past dissemination of a herbal would have required a successful Senate motion. The creation of the Apothecaries guild puts that in doubt; the Senate approved the manifesto stating the sodality exists to "Coordinate and support Imperial efforts in the research, development, '''education, and dissemination''' of ingredients, potions, and antidotes". The wording implies they should have the power to disseminate knowledge of potion recipes to other nations and groups - but thus far the Senate has not confirmed that was their intention.

As in any such matters where there is uncertainty, an [[administrative motion]] will be added to the Senate schedule to clarify the situation. The motion is deliberately written in such a way as to force a clarification - either the Senate amends the Guild's manifesto to bring it into line with the previous status quo - or they leave it as is and the power passes to the Guild. This approach ''ensures'' that the wording of the law is consistent with implementation after the motion is dedicded by the Senate.

<quote by="Administrative Constitutional Senate Motion">To amend the manifesto of the Apothecaries Guild to read "Coordinate and support Imperial efforts in the research, development, education, and dissemination of ingredients, potions, and antidotes to Imperial citizens.</quote>

This is a clear change to the manifesto of a sodality - so it would require a constitutional vote. If it passes with the neccessary majority and is ratified by the Throne, then the manifesto of the Apothecaries Guild will be amended to make clear that their remit extends only to Imperial citizens. That will clarify the current situation, the Guild will ''not'' have the legal power to dissemminate a herbal - that power will remain with the Senate and will require a Senate motion and ten thrones from the Imperial treasury.

If the motion fails or is rejected by the Senate, then the Guild's manifesto will not be amended. That will mean that the Senate no longer has the power to disseminate a herbal - instead that power will lie with the Apothecaries Guild. It will require a vote of members of the sodality and ten thrones, provided by the [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|apothecary guild leader]].

Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike politely asks Ambassador Dino to use their influence to get this motion rejected. At the moment the Kruidenkenner and their peers are enthusiastic about cultivating closer ties with the Apothecary Guild - they are keen to strike while the iron is hot.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Starcathedral.jpg|align=right|width=500|caption=The cathedral of the Navigators remains a beautiful and inspiring building, but its ability to attract converts in the Delves has become increasingly limited.}}</div>

==The Monument Trade==
* '''Highborn businesses and mines continue to prosper from a fashion for Highborn sculpture and stone
* '''The fortunes of the Cathedral of the Navigators continue to decline
During the Spring Equinox an art dealer named ''Senna van Ijzer'' [[Waiting_for_the_worms#Tombs_and_Tribulations|spoke with]] the [[Highguard|Highborn]] Council of [[Benefactors]]. They represented ''De Verzamelaars van Beeltenissen '' - "the Collectors" - a fringe Sarcophan sect who hold beliefs considered peculiar even by the standards of the Delves. In particular they preach that valuable objects depicting a deceased person's face hold particular value for buying a place in the Houses of Silence.

The year-long agreement between Senna and the benefactors to acquire Highborn pieces has seen [[business|businesses]] and [[mine|mines]] prosper across the nation with each such resource receiving an extra 18 rings production per season. Support for the trade from the Highborn assembly and especially the [[Bishop of the Navigators]] has been gratefully accepted by the Collectors and has done much to increase the demand for Highborn artwork. Indeed a fashion for Highborn iconography and grave monuments has taken hold in the Delves. Anyone who is anyone wants a Highborn funerary marker for their dear departed relatives' tomb. Senna is apparently busy securing more investment for the contract, and plans to return to Anvil during the Spring equinox to discuss continuing the lucrative trade for another year.

The arrangement also continues to draw criticism among followers of the Way in the Delves however. ''Mischa van de Libel'', a Sarcophan priest of the Way and [[dedication|dedicant]] of [[Prosperity]], has urged her fellow ''priester'' to cut ties with the Cathedral entirely and look to their own communities in the face of this blatant commodification of their faith. They are not the only ones; the [[Sumaah Republic|Sumaah]] ''präster'' at the rival temple of the Way in the ''Buitenlandsewijk''continue to preach openly that the Highborn treat virtue as a commodity to be bought and sold, devaluing their shared faith. Unfair as these words may appear, there has been an undeniable loss of prestige for the Cathedral and the Bishop.

The businesses and mines of Highguard prosper, but it has come at the cost of the prestige of the [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Cathedral_of_the_Navigators|Cathedral of the Navigators]]. The [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Merchant_Ministry|merchant ministry]] and the [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Low Ministry|Low Ministry]] have permanently lost another level of production. By the start of the Spring Equinox, the Cathdedral will have completely lost access to the Low Ministry, and the Merchant Ministry will be reduced to a single level. This represents a significant loss of influence for the cathedral, the Bishop, and the Imperial version of the Way in the Sarcophan Delves.
{{Sarcophan Links}}

Figure of eight

2026-04-08T21:21:00Z

Rosemary: /* Options */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>
The exarch nodded to the two guardians standing to attention. Alert to the signal, they stepped forward and lowered their torches. The kindling stuffed into the foundation of the pyre quickly caught and the flames began to rise.

"We are gathered here to say farewell to our friend. Esther, daughter of Ruth, beloved mother of Eli, Enoch, and Ephraim. The body burns, but the soul has fled to the Labyrinth."

He paused for a moment, to catch his breath. He knew the words off by heart of course, but it was different this time, different now it was Esther. He swallowed in the cold morning air, drawing the bitter draught into his lungs. As exarch of Virtue's Ride it was his duty to conduct this ceremony with all the solemnity that he could muster. It would not do for the others to hear his voice breaking so he let the pain of the frosty morning steel him to his duty.

"The virtuous soul pushes the world aside in its wake, leaving a mark on all those it touches as it passes. Now that the soul is gone, all that remains is for us to remember Esther's virtue."

The flames were rising higher now, obscuring the shrouded body on top of the bier.

"We commend the soul of our beloved sister Esther of Virtue's Rest to the Labyrinth and beyond, to the Land Without Tears."

The audience intoned the last and then all fell silent. The only sound was the pyre itself, the wood cracking and spitting as the flames took hold.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 800px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Virtue Banners.jpg|caption=The way is a union of seven virtues, with the Synod guiding pilgrims along the path.|width=800}}</div>
==Overview==
Almost a year ago, members of the [[Synod|Imperial Synod]] provoked a constitutional crisis when the [[Vigilance]] Assembly [[condemnation|condemned]] four members of the Assembly of Nine for their [[the final cut|public embrace of the malign spiritual presence of Peace]]. The resulting trial collapsed in dramatic fashion after [[Civil_Service#Imperial_Magistracy|Chief Magistrate]] ''Cosme i Zuhri i Guerra'' ruled that it was not possible to proceed with the prosecution following [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_42|a contentious statement of principle]] that had been subsequently passed by the [[General Assembly]] that presented ambiguous guidance for the prosecution of religious crimes. After a hurried debate, the chief magistrates cancelled the trial, ultimately arguing that a fundamental philosophical principle of Imperial jurisprudence was at stake - if the magistrates can't determine if someone is guilty of [[blasphemy]] or [[heresy]], if the [[Synod]] can't agree what constitutes a [[religious crime]], how can ''any'' citizen be expected to observe the law?

To rectify this problem, the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional_Court|Constitutional Court]] announced that they would oversee a major review of how [[Imperial law]] is interpreted and upheld by the magistrates. The [[Senate]] has made crimes such as heresy and blasphemy illegal, and the [[Imperial Constitution]] dictates that it is the role of the Synod to determine what constitutes a religious crime. Traditionally that has been achieved through the use of a [[Judgement]] of [[Sanction#Condemnation|Condemnation]] - but the shortcomings of that approach have been rudely exposed by the collapse of the trial of the so-called "[[A_little_understanding#Vital_Evidence|peaceful Four]]".

Rather than rush to judgement, so to speak, the Court have taken almost a year to review current procedures before drawing up and issuing new guidance. With that process now complete, the ball will return to the Synod's court to determine what happens next.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=MagistrateKarkovich.jpg|title=Stanislav Karkovich, Chief Magistrate|caption=Stanislav Karkovich, Chief Magistrate|width=250}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=116_103_7872813_56749560_6.png|title=Cosme i Zuhri i Guerra, Chief Magistrate|caption=Cosme i Zuhri i Guerra, Chief Magistrate|width=250}}</div>
==Imperial Law==
* '''The new approach changes the way existing Imperial law on religious crime is upheld and updated'''
* '''Imperial law is set by the Imperial Senate through the use of Senate motions'''
* '''Henceforth, the scope and application of religious laws will be set by the Imperial Synod'''

Current Imperial law defines five different types of [[religious crime]]: [[Religious_crime#Abuse_of_Powers|abuse of powers]], [[blasphemy]], [[desecration]], [[heresy]], and [[idolatry]]. Each has its own definition, but in all five cases these definitions are broad, and leave a great deal of room for interpretation. Heretofore, the assumption has been that the Synod would identify when someone's actions contravene the law using a judgement of condemnation. When that happened, the magistrates would prosecute those involved.

These definitions will not change under the new proposals adopted by the magistrates. Imperial law will continue to be set by the [[Senate]]; any changes to the underlying laws can only be made by a [[senator]] unsing a succecssful [[senate motion]].

What ''is'' different is the religious crimes will be interpreted and enacted. Under the new approach laid down by the Constitutional Court, members of the General Assembly will be able to use a judgement of [[Proscription]] to identify specific actions that are illegal under the existing Imperial laws. These proscriptions will undergo [[scrutiny]] by the Constitutional Court to ensure that they are compatible with the Imperial Constitution, and with the body of Imperial law. Proscriptions that pass scrutiny, will be added to the rules employed by magistrates to determine if a crime has taken place.

The practical impact of this approach is that the Imperial Synod will effectively write how religious laws are applied, similar to the leeway that the Conclave has to determine the appropriate use of magic. Successful proscriptions will determine how Imperial law on religious crimes are applied, they will determine what is investigated and enforced by the magistrates.

The main advantage to this approach identified by the Constitutional Court is the clarity it will provide to citizens - who will be better able to judge what does or does not constitute a religious crime. In the past, some citizens have been executed for carrying a [[hallow|hallowed item]] drawn from a so-called "false virtue" or for being [[dedication|dedicated]] to a spiritual force other than one of the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Seven|seven virtues]]. In other cases the Synod has chosen not to condemn those who have committed the same crimes. This uncertainty has made it almost impossible for anyone to determine in advance whether their actions might be considered a religious crime or not. In the example of the [[Malign spiritual presences#Peace|peace]] hallows adopted by members of the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]], the facts of the matter were not in doubt; what was disputed was whether such actions breached the law. Ambiguity such as this is fundamentally undesirable in a judicial system - it should be as easy as possible to know in advance whether an action constitutes a crime or not.

While the approach removes the power of the Synod to stand in judgement of individuals, it provides more control of Imperial law as it relates to the Virtues and [[the Way]]. The Synod will be able to proscribe specific [[Schisms and Heresies|actions and beliefs]] that they judge to be fundamentally incompatible with the Way. They will need to rely on the magistrates to enforce their proscriptions, but the magistrates will then be able to act without further recourse to the Synod, allowing them to pursue heretics, blasphemers, and idolators across the Empire. People will no longer be able to escape justice by committing their crimes beyond the watchful eyes of the Synod.

===Transition===
* '''Imperial law remains unchanged until the end of the Winter Solstice'''
* '''Magistrates will pursue a criminal investigation against any citizen who is condemned at the Winter Solstice'''
* '''Any judgement of proscription submitted at this summit will take effect from the end of the Winter Solstice'''

The Constitutional Court have confirmed that no part of Imperial law will change before the end of the Winter Solstice. That means that the Synod may condemn citizens for any religious crimes they have committed at the coming Solstice. The magistrates will respond accordingly by trying anyone who has been condemend by the Synod.

Any judgement of proscription that is submitted at this summit will not take effect until the end of the Solstice. To keep things simple the Tribune will ensure that all proscriptions are open for judgement until the end of the final session on Sunday. In future, a proscription will come into effect as soon as it passes the Synod.

From the end of the summit onwards, the magistrates will use whatever proscriptions the Synod have passed to prosecute religious crimes. That means it won't be neccessary, or possible, for a priest to submit a judgement of condemnation from that point onwards.

===Scrutiny===
* '''Any judgement of proscription is subject to scrutiny by the Constitutional Court'''
* '''The Court will not pass a judgement unless it is consistent with the principles of the Constitution and clearly pertains to a religious crime'''

Any judgement of proscription will be [[Scrutiny#Scrutiny|scrutinized]] carefully by the Constitutional Court to ensure that it reflects the principles laid out by the Constitution, is compatible with the existing body of Imperial law, and is enforceable. An ideal judgement of proscription will lay out a single action and state which '''one''' of the five religious laws it breaks. Priests are welcome to include text explaining why the action ''should'' be proscribed, but any proscription which tries to identify multiple laws that are broken is likely to fail. The magistrates need simple, clear language that makes it obvious which Imperial law has been broken - anything which muddies that makes a proscription more likely to fail scrutiny.

The Court will judge whether the proscription falls within the remit of the relevant Imperial law. For example, [[blasphemy]] is defined as "''The denigration of the paragons and the paths of virtue. This includes promoting false virtues and the teachings of false exemplars or false paragons."'' Attempting to proscribe an action as blasphemous will fail scrutiny if it is clear it is not compatible with the definition of blasphemy that the Imperial Senate has laid down. The Constitutional Court have a long history of jealously guarding the powers and responsibilities of each body of state - attempts by the Synod to encroach on the powers of other bodies such as the [[Bourse]], the [[Conclave]], or an [[Imperial sodality]], will be firmly rebutted.

As an extension of Imperial law, a proscription must not violate the principles laid down in the Imperial Constitution. Proscriptions that violate the dignity, freedom, and prosperity of Imperial citizens or transgress the Constitution's principles will be struck down.

===Advice===
* '''Any citizen may ask the chief magistrates or the Speaker for the Senate for advice on how to word a proscription at any point during the summit'''
* '''Citizens may obtain advice in writing from the office of the Constitutional Court before the summit begins'''
* '''Advice is designed to help a citizen, it does not guarantee that a proscription will pass scrutiny'''

Anyone seeking to pass a judgement of proscription is encouraged to seek advice on the wording from the civil service, to ensure there is the least possible chance of it failing scrutiny. Citizens can consult with the chief magistrates to receive advice on the constitutionality of any proscription at any point during the summit. They can also provide a copy of the wording of a judgement to the office of the Speaker of the Senate to receive feedback and advice. The Speaker meets regularly with the Constitutional Court throughout the summit to review upcoming Senate motions, so any judgement of proscription will be discussed with the court and then returned to the citizen later.

Citizens need not wait until the summit begins to obtain advice. They can submit a judgement to the Court for review before attending the summit (by emailing {{plot}}). The court will reply in writing before the summit begins provided they have time to do so. The Court are very busy during summits, but ''if possible'', a member of the Constitutioanl Court will try to make themselves available on request from the Throne, a Member of the Senate, a cardinal or a grandmaster, if there is a serious issue of constitutionality that requires urgent discussion with the Court.

Obtaining advice is always recommended, but citizens are warned that advice, even from a member of the Constitutional Court, is only meant to help guide a citizen to [[Wisdom]] - it is not scrutiny itself, which only takes place after a judgement passes the Synod.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=LeoSecGen.jpg|title=Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza, Tribune of the Synod.|caption=Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza, Tribune of the Synod|width=500}}</div>
===Administrative Judgements===
* '''The Constitutional Court can ask the Tribune to raise administrative judgements of proscription to clarify matters of Imperial law'''
The [[Tribune of the Synod]] has the [[Tribune_of_the_Synod#Judgement|power to raise judgements in any Assembly]]. Traditionally this has been used to help facilitate the operations of the Synod, vis-a-vis [[appointment|appointments]] and similar.

In the future, it is likely that the Constitutional Court will ask the Tribune to use this power to raise an administrative judgement of proscription for consideration by the Synod. These judgements will be used to clarify any ambiguity that has arisen from other judgements. The same approach is commonly employed in the Senate, where the Court will ask the [[Speaker for the Senate]] to raise an [[Senate_motion#Administrative_Motions|administrative motion]] to remove any ambiguity introduced by previous decisions taken by the Senate.

Given the urgency of the matter, the magistrates have asked the Tribune to raise several judgements of proscription at the forthcoming summit. They have produced guidance to go with each of these judgements to lay out what the legal implications of passing or rejecting them would be. Of course, any member of the Synod is always free to use their own judgement to raise a ''different'' proscription - these administrative judgements are intended to clear up major issues of law and to provide clear examples of the kind of judgements that the Synod could raise.

==A Winter of Judgement==
* '''Five administrative judgements of proscription will be raised at the forthcoming summit'''
* '''Members of the Synod will be able to vote on these judgements from 6pm on Friday until 2pm on Sunday'''
At the forthcoming Winter Equinox, the Tribune of the Synod will raise the following administrative judgements of proscription in the General Assembly. They will be available for voting from the beginning of the summit, with the deadline for voting on all these judgements will be 2pm on Sunday. Any judgement, event an administrative judgement is subject to the [[The_Throne#Powers_of_Virtue|Custodian of Virtue]] power of [[the Throne]].

In each case, the magistrates have outlined what will happen if the administrative judgement is passed by the General Assembly, and what it will mean if it does not pass. Obviously, the Synod retains the right to reconsider at a later date, and priests are encouraged to raise alternative or additional proscriptions that they feel better define what is or is not a crime.

These judgements have been raised to provide examples of the kind of wording that is required for a successful proscription, to initiate the proceedings and focus minds on the key issues. The Synod is well within their remit to reject all these judgements and pass other proscriptions or none at all, should they choose.

===Abuse of Powers===
* '''The crime of abuse of powers is defined as: ''The misuse, or abuse, of the powers of a priest. This includes the powers of the Synod, as well as liao ceremonies.''
The mostly commonly understood abuse of priestly powers is the use of the ceremony of [[excommunication]] without an accompanying [[writ of Excommunication]]. Many people assume that means that the use of the ceremony without the writ of the Synod will always result in a prosecution, but technically this is not a legal requirement. The writ of excommunication simply ensures that a priest will not be investigated for abuse of powers. Now that such matters will no longer go before the Synod for consideration before being investigated by a magistrate, an administrative judgement is being raised to confirm that this is the case.

<quote by="General Assembly Administrative Judgement">The Synod proscribes the use of the ceremony of excommunication without authorisation by writ of the Synod as an abuse of powers.</quote>

If the General Assembly passes this judgement of proscription then it will become illegal to perform or participate in an excommunication ceremony unless a writ of excommunication has been approved of first. It will be treated as an abuse of powers and punished accordingly. If the General Assembly declines to pass this judgement, and doesn't pass a different judgement of proscription that speaks to this issue, then it will be legal under Imperial law to use the ceremony of excommunication without the approval of the Synod.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Fintan Enemy of the Creator.jpg|caption=Former [[Ambassador to Axos]] and condemned heretic Fintan Nighthaven.|align=right|width=250}}</div>
====Options====
* '''The use of true liao for any purpose without a writ of consecration could be declared an abuse of powers'''
* '''Consecrating any area without the permission of those who control that area could be declared an abuse of powers'''
* '''Calling yourself to inquisition could be declared an abuse of powers'''

Rumours suggests that the alleged corruption of the Assembly of Nine began when the convicted heretic, '''Fintan Nighthaven''', used a dose of [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] to create a [[Hallow#True_Liao|blasphemous relic]] dedicated to peace. The magistrates have not raised a judgement regarding the use of true liao to [[consecration|consecrate]] a location or [[hallow]] an item, but any priest could do so. Currently it is perfectly legal to use true liao in this way without the Synod's approval - but the General Assembly could use a similar judgement to the one above to forbid the use of true liao to create ''any'' true auras without an accompanying [[writ of consecration]].

It was [[Auras_illegal_in_the_Senate|made illegal to consecrate the Senate]] without the prior approval of senators in Winter 376YE, and that law was [[Auras_illegal_in_the_Civil_Service_hub|extended to cover the Civil Service Hub]] two years later. A violation of this law is prosecuted as a [[List_of_Criminal_Offences#Crimes_against_the_Processes_of_the_State|crime against the state]], rather than a religious law, because it involves interference with the business of these state bodies. The Synod could go further, and use a judgement of proscription to class the consecration of ''any'' location without the permission of those who control that area, as an abuse of powers.

A citizen can only be legally compelled to attend one [[inquisition]] per summit, to prevent vexatious use of the power. In the past there have been accusations that members of the Synod have or might deliberately called themselves to inquisition - to ensure that nobody else could then inquisition them. The Synod could declare such a practice to be an abuse of powers - they could even go further and declare that any attempt to use the power of inquisition to shield a citizen from the Vigilance of the Synod was an abuse of powers.

===Blasphemy===
* '''The crime of blasphemy is defined as: ''The denigration of the paragons and the paths of virtue. This includes promoting false virtues and the teachings of false exemplars or false paragons.''
The most common accusations of blasphemy relate to [[dedication]] to [[malign spiritual presences]]. As such the magistrates have asked the Tribune to put forward the following proscription.

<quote by="General Assembly Administrative Judgement">The Synod proscribes as blasphemy the act of dedicating any person to a false virtue or of creating an aura of a false virtue.</quote>

<div style="float: right; max-width: 500px; width: 40%; margin-left: 10px;"><box>
<p>'''Spontaneous Auras'''<br>
Some auras occurr spontaneously arising naturally, rather than through the use of liao. It is often assumed that spontaneous auras are associated with a Virtue - they usually appear at moments associated with exceptionally Virtuous acts. However it is never possible to tell what Virtue is associated with an aura (insight won't reveal this information). To make matters more difficult, spontaneous auras are usually different in effect to the standard auras created using liao ceremonies.</p>

<p>As a result it is not possible to definitively tell spontaneous auras of false virtues from the ones associated with the true virtues. A skilled theologian might be able to infer what has happened, based on the circumstances and the effect of the aura, but there is no definitive test that can confirm it.</p>
</box></div>
If the General Assembly passes this judgement then it will become illegal to perform a [[dedication]] to any of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#False_Virtues|false virtues]], as well as to use a [[religious skills|liao ceremony]] creating an [[aura]] drawn from a false virtue. Doing so will be treated as an act of blasphemy and be punished accordingly. If they decline to pass this judgement, and don't pass a different judgement of proscription that speaks to this issue, then it will be legal under Imperial law to dedicate someone to a false virtue and to create auras using them.

Currently there are four known false Virtues, anarchy, hatred, peace and vengeance. Other malign spiritual forces exist, but they are not considered to be false virtues because there is no evidence that people can be dedicated to them. If that were found not to be true, or if a new false virtue were ever discovered, it would automatically be covered by this proscription because of the way it is written.

In each case, the magistrates would compare such auras to those known to be created with false virtues. Unfortunately, it is much harder to be certain of the source of spontaneous auras because of the way they manifest with unpredictible effects that don't match any known auras.
====Options====
* '''The Synod would need to use a separate judgement for each false virtue to proscribe some false virtues but not others'''
* '''The Synod could proscribe being dedicated to a false virtue as blasphemous'''
* '''Proselytising a false virtue could be defined as blasphemy'''
* '''The Synod could proscribe the promotion of false paragons'''
* '''The Feast of the Broken Wheel could be declared blasphemous'''

If the Synod wanted to proscribe some of the false virtues, but not others, they would have to use seperate judgements to proscribe each false virtue individually. The Synod can pass a judgement that proscribes all false virtues or a false virtue, but they cannot pass a single judgement that lists some false virtues but not others.

The Synod could take a different route and proscribe being ''dedicated'' to or bearing an aura of a false virtue. If the Synod did that, then it would be illegal simply to be dedicated to or anointed using a false virtue. Items hallowed to false virtues would be illegal to own or carry, and areas consecrated with such powers would need to be desecrated or destroyed. Such a law would be much more restrictive - visitors from [[Axos]] and [[Faraden]] are often dedicated to virtues other than the Seven, and commonly bear anointing or hallowed items drawing on them. They are usually careful not to proselytise their views in the Empire, but if the Synod took the strictest possible approach then such visitors would be breaking the law and would suffer the punishment when they were caught. Attempts to define blasphemous actions as only being relevant to Imperial citizens would fail scrutiny by the Constitutional Court; foreign visitors to the Empire are required to abide by the same laws as ordinary citizens.

The Synod could proscribe the act of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proselytism proselytising] a false virtue. That would mean that anyone attempting to convince others to embrace one of false virtues would face prosecution. Any judgement on this matter should ensure that it makes clear where the Synod would expect the magistrates to draw the line. For example, in the past people have championed raids to free slaves from the [[Grendel]], the [[Druj]], and the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] which have resulted in widespread [[Aura#Spontaneous_Auras|spontaneous auras]] that appeared to be Anarchist in nature. If the Synod intends to proscribe such acts, they would need to make that clear in the wording of the judgement. A differently worded proscription might try to only proscribe someone actively trying to convince people to embrace a false virtue; this would be far less expansive but in practice it might be little different to proscribing someone performing a false virtue dedication.

Likewise the Synod could proscribe the promotion of false paragons. The judgement of [[recognition]] is used to recognise a specific figure as a false paragon - passing a judgement proscribing the promotion of false paragons would make it illegal to promote one - anyone inviting people to draw inspiration from a known false paragon or encouraging others to emulate the figure would then be subject to prosecution for blasphemy.

One step the magistrates have not taken, due to the political implications, is to raise a judgement proscribing the celebration of the [[The_Brass_Coast_religious_beliefs#Feast_of_the_Broken_Wheel|Feast of the Broken Wheel]] by [[The Brass Coast|the Freeborn]]. This festival could at best be described as irreverant - many traditionalists have seen its deliberate impiety as nothing short of blasphemy. The Synod could test the limits of their new powers by raising a judgement of proscription which forbade the celebration of the festival, though doubtless such an attempt would incur the wroth of many Freeborn priests and [[sutannir]]s.

===Desecration===
* '''The crime of desecration is defined as: ''The removal of spontaneously created virtuous auras such as legacies of ascendance to paragonhood. This includes such auras arising on areas and objects, and those people who do not wished them removed.''

The law of desecration is fairly recent having been [[Create_law_of_desecration|created]] in Summer 377YE to outlaw the removal of spontaneous auras and then [[Amend_Crime_of_Desecration|amended]] three years later to restrict it to the "desecration" of virtuous auras. Part of the reason the law was created was to protect the legacies associated with [[paragons and exemplars]]. Unfortunately, it is very difficult to determine if a spontaneous aura is "virtuous" or not because they rarely duplicate the effects of auras created with liao ceremonies and [[insight]] will not reveal the Virtue of an aura. With that in mind, the magistrates have focused on confirming the intent of the original law. They have submitted the following administrative judgement of proscription.

<quote by="General Assembly Administrative Judgement">The desecration or destruction of any relics associated with a paragon or exemplar, or the destruction of any memorial associated with them, is proscribed.</quote>

If this judgement is approved by the majority of the General Assembly then it will make it illegal for any individual to remove or replace an aura on a relic associated with a [[paragons and exemplars|paragon or exemplar]], or otherwise destroy such an item. Likewise, removing spontaneous auras that have arisen in a place as the result of actions taken by an exemplar or paragon would be a crime. Spontaneous auras are often unique in nature, but their provenance can often be identified by magic such as [[Skein of Years]] or [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]]- their historical association with such an important figure almost invariably leaves a trace. If the judgement is not passed, then the various relics and spontaneous auras will not be protected by Imperial law from destruction or desecration.

====Other Potential Desecrations====
* '''The current wording of the law is very specific and only allows for a very narrow range of possibilities'''
* '''The Senate could amend the law to empower the Synod to proscribe more general acts of desecration or the removal of auras'''

The current law is very specific in nature - rather than granting the Synod broad sway over a range of possible activities which could collectively be described as desecration, it explicitly outlaws the removal of auras under very specific situations. The auras must be spontaneous - so no aura created using liao would ever be covered by this law as it stands - a relic created by a paragon would not be protected from desecration under this law if the paragon used liao to make the aura.

Likewise powerful auras associated with true liao, such as the consecrations often found at [[Inspirational_location|memorials and sacred sites]] would not be covered by this law. In theory a more expansive law would give the Synod the power to proscribe any kind of desecration of a memorial or sacred site created by a priest of the Way. As things stand, it would not be illegal for a citizen to seek to destroy the true consecration in Holberg, or the one in the Soveann.

In the same vein items with spontaneous auras on them are protected from desecration, but not items hallowed with true liao. For that matter, the Senate could give the Synod the power to proscribe the removal of any aura without the permission of the owner. All these are acts that would best be defined as desecration, but the Synod could not proscribe them under the current wording of the law. To proscribe these actions would require the [[Imperial Senate]] to change the law to use a more expansive definition of desecration.

===Heresy===
* '''The crime of heresy is defined as: ''The willful rejection, or perversion of, the orthodox Doctrines of the Faith as laid down by the Imperial Synod, or actively teaching and promoting false doctrines.''

In the history of the Empire, there have been numerous [[Schisms and Heresies|schisms and heresies]] which have been carefully catalogued. Most of these heresies are historical in nature now, and few pose a direct threat to the stability of the Empire at this time. Accordingly the magistrates have ''not'' submitted individual judgements of proscription for each of these heresies. There is nothing to stop an individual priest raising their own judgement of proscription for a specific heresy - but the magistrates don't see any pressing need to settle these matters urgently. There will be plenty of time for the Synod to consider their response carefully, if a heresy should become active once more.

[[Schisms_and_Heresies#The_Excessionist_Heresy|The Excessionist Heresy]] is the one known heresy that appears to be active currently. In Summer the [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_14|Synod called Yosephus Morningson to inquisition]] for preaching the "creed of the Temple of Balance". He was subsequently condemned on that basis and a trial is expected at the coming summit. Preaching excessionism was also one of the reasons [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_137|cited by Tarquinius Ankarien]] for calling Lady Josephine of Adina's Charge to inquisition at the same summit.

Accordingly, the Synod have been asked to consider a clear statement proscribing the heresy of excessionism.

<quote by="General Assembly Administrative Judgement">The General Assembly proscribes the Excessionist Heresy - the claim that too much of a Virtue can be as bad as too little.</quote>

If the Synod pass this judgement then anyone preaching excessionism, the idea that too much of a Virtue can be as bad as too little will proscribed under the law. The trial of Yosephus Morningson will proceed normally and anyone who expresses similar ideas will face prosecution by the magistrates. If the General Assembly reject the judgement and don't proscribe excessionism, then it will not be illegal to preach such ideas, Yosephus Morningson will not face trial, and he and others will be free to continue preaching in that vein.

====Options====
* '''The Synod could proscribe the Yaelian Heresy'''
* '''The Synod could easily proscribe any of the more well-known heresies'''
* '''If the Synod proscribe a new heresy they must take care to clearly outline the heretical beliefs'''
* '''The Synod could proscribe the beliefs of the Marcher Orcs'''
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Yael.jpg|caption=Yael of Felix's Watch, heretical Prophet of the Land Without Tears.|align=right|width=300}}</div>
Perhaps the most dramatic instance of heresy in recent times is the [[Schisms_and_Heresies#The_Yaelian_Schism|Yaelian Heresy]], in which '''Yael of Felix's Watch''', a [[Highguard|Highborn]] theologian, claimed to have received a [[past life vision]] showing herself to be the [[First Empress]] reborn. As her fame spread, thousands placed their trust in her, believing her to be the reincarnation of the founder of the Empire. Eventually her lies were uncovered through the discovery that crucial documents supporting her claims of a place beyond the Labyrinth, which she called the "Land Without Tears", were forgeries. She was ultimately condemned by the Synod and executed, but to this day there are folk who believe that Yael was the First Empress reborn, and her account of the Land Without Tears was a true vision. The Yaelian heretics have not caused issues in many years, and short of Yael herself being reborn, they are not likely to do so.

If the General Assembly proscribes this heresy, then it will make it definitively clear that no part of Yael's claims were ever true. Anyone who professes such beliefs or worse proselytizes them will face prosecution under Imperial law. The magistrates won't actively seek out these heretics, unless given clear instruction to do so, since the cost and disruption would be significant, but it would allow them to act swiftly should there be any attempt to resurrect the heresy.

There are plenty of other historic [[Schisms and Heresies|heresies, blasphemies, and schisms]] known to the Empire. The Synod would require a seperate judegement for each heresy they wished to proscribe, but they would not need to provide any additional details if they wanted to outlaw [[Schisms_and_Heresies#The_Lucidian_Blasphemy_/_Auran_Idolatry|lucidianism]] for example, because the heresy is well known and detailed. If the Synod proscribed a new heresy that was not familiar, then the judgement would need to include a clear statement of the heretical beliefs, so that the magistrates could correctly identify it.

One issue that the Constitutional Court do point out is that it would not remotely be constitutional for the Synod to attempt to proscribe the expression or discussion of religious beliefs for some individuals but not others. In the past there has sometimes been a tacit belief that members of the Synod have special rights and the necessary training to investigate or contemplate religious heresies. That approach is directly counter to the ethics of Imperial law, which treats all citizens equally. Either everyone may use their judgement to consider the teachings of the [[Schisms_and_Heresies#The_Lucidian_Blasphemy_/_Auran_Idolatry|Lucidians]] or nobody can. Any attempt to proscribe heresy for people who weren't priests would be immediately struck down as unconstitutional.

There is arguably a much more complicated heresy active in the Empire at this time: that of the [[Mournwold_Orcs|Marcher orcs]]. These former thralls, freed along with their human neighbours when the [[Mournwold]] was liberated, still trace their religious beliefs to their [[Jotun]] roots. They firmly believe that they will reincarnate after death, provided they do not take up weapons to fight. While strange, these beliefs form the cornerstone of their entire world view - and it was clear they would not give them up to join the Empire. Their spiritual spokesperson ''Hap the Soft'' made it clear to the Marcher and Imperial Orcs assemblies that his people would be prepared to face death, and reincarnate, if anyone tried to force them to abandon their beliefs. This is unfortunate, because they are flatly at odds with the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_the_Howling_Abyss|Doctrine of the Howling Abyss]] which explicitly states that orcs live only one life. This makes them heretical.

Thus far, the Empire has been resolving this problem by very assiduously looking the other way. Because the Marcher orcs only come to [[Anvil]] infrequently, and they don't proselytise their views, it has broadly been seen as better to let sleeping dogs lie than to force the execution of a population of these Marchers. But that can't continue forever - the longer the issue continues, the more it fundamentally undermines the moral authority of the Synod. Heresy can't be a crime, legally enforcable by law, while simultaneously there are hundreds of people living in the Mournwold who everyone knows reject one of the Doctrines of Faith.

Aware of the sensitivity of the subject, the magistrates have ''not'' submitted an administrative judgement of proscription - cognisant that that would force the Synod to act. If such a judgement is submitted, then the Synod will have no choice but to confront the issue, either directly outlaw the beliefs of the Marcher orcs, or if they failed the judgement, to implicitly approve them. Both courses of action would have far-reaching consequences - and wise heads determine that the Synod won't likely benefit from the magistrates rushing them on this. Still, it cannot be put off forever - at some point soon, the Synod will have to settle the matter of the Marcher orcs and the Doctrine of the Howling Abyss, one way or the other - a situation that is made more complex as more orc septs come to the attention of the Empire whose beliefs are incompatible with doctrine.

===Idolatry===
* '''The crime of idolatry is defined as: ''Subsuming human will and destiny to any inhuman entity or force. This includes the worship, veneration or exaltation of any such being or power.'' '''

Sadly, the Imperial legal system has struggled to hold the line on idolatry in recent times. There have been perennial problems in the Empire's negotiations with [[eternal|eternals]], in which these creatures demand veneration, exaltation, adulation or sacrifice. [[Eleonaris]], the so-called "Queen" of the Fields of Glory ''demanded'' that a statue be built in her honour. The Imperial Senate even passed a [[Senate motion]] approving the sacrifice of [[Construct_Treasure_Ship|a ship laden with treasure]] to please [[Rhianos]] the "Regent" of the Eternal Sea. The Synod could put an end to all this, by clearly proscribing these acts.

<quote by="General Assembly Administrative Judgement">The General Assembly proscribes the creation of statues in the likeness of any eternal. It is idolatry to build any edifice designed to honour an inhuman entity.</quote>

If the General Assembly approves this judgement, then it will no longer be legal to create statues of an eternal. It won't be legal for the Senate or for anyone else to make sacrifices to them. Magicians will still be able to negotiate with eternals, but they won't be able to offer them veneration or sacrifice in return for their favour. It wouldn't be illegal for artists or actors to portray an eternal, but it would be illegal to create a [[Edifice#Grandeur|grand statue]] of an eternal or commission any [[edifice]] clearly intended to honour them.

Pragmatists may argue that such restrictions tie the hands of the [[archmage|archmages]] who are often forced to use flattery to convince eternals to favour the Empire. There is no doubt at all that passing this judgement will make life considerably harder for the [[Conclave]] - there absolutely will be situations where magicians are forced to forego the help of an eternal because this proscription would make it impossible to meet their price. Arguably, that is why so little has been done to stop the practice in recent years. Traditionalists argue that is ''exactly'' why it is so important for the Synod to act ''now'' to ban the practice - otherwise people will always find a way to justify it when the opportunity presents itself. The best time to clamp down on this behaviour was centuries ago; the second best time is now.

If the Synod declines to proscribe the practice, then it is difficult to imagine the law of idolatry having any teeth in the future. Few people are going to accept the idea that it's illegal to venerate an inhuman power, but it's acceptable to build a giant statue or sacrifice a ship full of treasure to them. If the judgement does not pass, cases of idolatry will inevitably continue to rise. Trouble-makers like [[Sadogua]], [[Janon]], or [[Jaheris]] are likely to view it as an open invitation to seek the veneration of those to whom they offer their patronage.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Dima12713.jpg|caption='''Dima Vasilyevna Novosad''', Master of the Koboldi|align=left|width=300}}</div>
====Options====
* '''The Synod could single out individual eternals, using a judgement of proscription for each one'''
* '''The Synod could proscribe the creation of fanes and similar structures'''
The Synod could try to proscribe statues or edifices to honour individual eternals - effectively singling out those eternals that were most problematic and proscribing them one at a time. That approach might be politically fraught. It's easy to proscribe edifices to venerate [[Agramant]] but they would arguably be illegal anyway, given the eternal is under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]]. The truth is that the eternals that are arguably most in need of being proscribed in this way - are the ones most likely to offer powerful aid in return. Trying to pick and choose between them will inevitably create a law that proscribes idolatry in some cases but permits it in others.

The Synod could choose to go further. Since their [[The_Queen%27s_door#The_Adventurous_Options|creation]] in 384YE in response to a [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Embassies_for_Eternals|request by the Conclave]], the [[commission]] of a [[fane]] has been somewhat problematic. These structures are specifically dedicated to an eternal, serving as places where their power within the Empire is paramount. They must be [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|conceded]] to the eternal in question, and some theologians argue that this is an even more direct example of idolatry than the creation of statues. Fanes are not the only way that an eternal might be placated - and these priests argue vehemently that ''any'' concedence of Imperial lands or structures to inhuman powers is a religious crime.

Proscribing all fanes would have profound implication for recent commissions, such as the [[Construct_Chamber_of_Euphony|fane of sung]], and for titles such as the [[Master of the Koboldi]] whose powers come from the [[Master_of_the_Koboldi#College_of_Engineering|College of Engineering]] conceded to [[Adamant]].

==Other Judgements==
With the change in the way the magistrates apply the law, there is no further need for a judgement of condemnation and the court have instructed the Tribune to withdraw it. However, the expansion to the judgement of condemnation [[Amend_power_of_Inquisition|pushed by Jorma Steelhail]] that introduced [[castigation]], [[penance]] and [[vindication]] do still provide considerable benefits. The Court have worked with the Tribune and the magistrates to provide additional new guidance to help the Synod use these judgements effectively.
==Further Reading==
* [[The final cut]] - 387YE Spring wind of fortune regarding the fallout of the constitutional crisis
* [[A little understanding]] - 386YE Winter wind of fortune about the aftermath of Judgement 42

* [[Proscription]]
* [[Castigation]]
* [[Penance]]
* [[Vindication]]

* [[Cardinal]]
* [[Religious crime]]
* [[Schisms and Heresies]]
* [[Clemency]]
* [[Malign spiritual presences]]

Wiki Updates

2026-03-26T14:38:18Z

Rosemary: /* Litany of the Labyrinth */

[[Category:Rules]]
==Overview==
This is a list of significant updates to the wiki. We try to keep it as up to date as possible, in the hope it will be a more useful reference than the [[Special:RecentChanges|recent changes]] page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By its nature, this page will be regularly updated, so when you visit the wiki try checking here first. However, please keep in mind this is a manually updated page, so it may be a little behind the actual updates. We tend to make an entry on this page once an update is finalised - so if something has changed and hasn't been mentioned here it's possible that the changes are not yet complete.

In early 2022, we moved all entries on this page prior to 2019 to the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace as detailed in [[#Archiving Wiki Updates|Archiving wiki updates]]. We did this again in 2024, moving updates prior to 2021 to the same page.
===Multiple Great Works===
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[Great_work#Multiple_Great_Works|great work]] page that reflects the fact that multiple great works in a territory affecting a single resource become more expensive. It's now not possible to commission a great work that affects the same resource until an existing commission is completed, abrogated, or lapses without a specific [[opportunity]].

==Litany of the Labyrinth==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've explicitly added [[Voice for the dead]] to the effects that the [[Litany of the Labyrinth]] will affect.

==Garden of Teth-Anon==
* '''03/03/2026'''
We have added an [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] to the [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]. This follows the assurances added last year, which can be found in the [[#Assurances|Assurances]] entry.

==Assailing Forts==
* '''04/02/2026'''
In line with our new fortification changes we've edited the [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Transcendent_Claw|Technique of the Transcendent Claw]], and explained how the ''Onrushing Storm'' order works under the new rules. We've also made edits to the way the [[Army qualities#Siege|Storm the Walls]] and [[Army qualities#Engineer|Dig In]] orders work.

==Fortifications==
* '''03/02/2026'''
We've made some significant changes to the way [[fortification|fortifications]] work in the military campaign. The fortification page has been extensively edited; fortifications are now split into a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]] that represents the physical fortification, and a [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] that represents the soldiers who defend it. In the process, we've removed the citadel commission. There is a [[Rules update 2026#Fortifications and Citadels|rules update]] that discusses the changes in more detail.

At the same time, we've made changes to several rituals that interact with fortifications. This includes:
* [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]] and [[Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground]] explicitly affects only the bastion of a fortification.
* [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]] and [[Ramparts of Ashlar]] provide additional force to the garrison of a fortification
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affect both the bastion and the garrison, and how their damage is inflicted has been adjusted slightly.
* The ''Wolves of Winter'', a ritual not in Imperial Lore, provides additional strength to the garrison of the enchanted fortification, but ''only'' for purposes of inflicting casualties.
* The four "citadel" rituals - [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], and [[The Basalt Citadel]] have been changed significantly, and each provides different benefits.

Some of the rituals have also had their magnitude adjusted. We're currently still assessing existing fortifications, and outstanding opportunities and will update them as we go.

==Dadford Road Exit Plan==
* '''09/09/2025'''
There are new instructions for when you are [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Departure|exiting Dadford Road campsite at the end of this final event]]. Please make sure you follow the instructions carefully to save time for you and everyone else!

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We've changed the duration of effect for [[Chimes of Annulment]] from one minute to ten minutes. The previous short duration left too little margin for error to make it an appealing option on battles. The new time is designed to be difficult - but more achievable. The recent conjunctions involving the Lock and the Key provide an IC justification for the change if one is needed.

==Varushka Embroidery and Weaving==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We have updated the [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Embroidery_and_Weaving|Varushka culture and customs]] page with an entry on embroidery and weaving, following the completion of the Great Hall of Fabric Arts in Delev.

==Sodality Limitations==
* '''05/09/2025'''
We have changed the [[Imperial_sodality#Limitations|limitations on titles appointed by Imperial sodalities]]. If they elect a national position it must be revocable by the relevant national assembly.

==Walls of Holberg==
* '''23/08/2025'''
We've fixed an error in the database for the location of the Walls of Holberg. The city of Holberg is in the region of Holfried - which is where the walls are canonically - not neighbouring Holmauer (which was once walled, but the walls were long since destroyed by the Druj).

==Detect Magic==
* '''07/08/2025'''
We've changed the Discern Arcane Mark effect of [[detect magic]] to instead be [[Detect_magic#Discern_Mark|Discern Mark]]. We have made clear that it also functions to identify when the casting magician shares a [[Mark of Fellowship]] with the target.
==Rewarding==
* '''20/07/2025'''
We've made some updates to the [[judgement]] of [[Rewarding]]. It explains how the virtue fund relates to wains of mithril, weirwood, and white granite and discusses more ways the judgement can be used.
==Rule of Risk and Reward==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, researchers at the Lyceum have discovered a way to add additional targets to this ritual.
==Sum of the Parts==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, it is not necessary when casting [[Sum of the Parts]] for the three additional participants to take damage. Supporting the target with words of encouragement or similar roleplaying is sufficient to power the ritual effect.
==Sun Chamber==
* '''14/07/2025'''
We have added a new sodality - the [[Sun Chamber]] to the game. This is a powerful [[Imperial sodality]] whose membership is restricted to citizens aged 14-18. The aim is to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. The new sodality exists to help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire and encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways.

==Secrets of the Empty Heart==
* '''25/06/2025'''
We've updated the ritual [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]] to make it explicit that you can use the special ability granted by the [[enchantment]] even if you are under the effect of [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]], [[Combat#Dying|dying]], or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]. This is a special case where an active ability can be used when in a state where it would normally not be possible.
==Navarr Wayhouse==
* '''21/06/2025'''
We have created a new page that contains all the rules for a [[Navarr wayhouse]] [[commission]]. Most of the details are based on the information we provided in the original wind of fortune, but where we have made some changes, these new rules will not affect any motions passed at the Spring Equinox or earlier. The [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Wayhouse_in_Ossium|wayhouse in Ossium]] is fine to be built with [[mithril]] and produce [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]]. Any new wayhouses will all have to follow the new rules and can only be built using a Senate motion or an Imperial title with the power to commission a wayhouse.

We've stubbed the new page for the next few days, while we finalise any changes for new wayhouses. We'll remove the stub once that process is complete.

==Historical Researchers==
* '''09/06/2025'''
We've added an [[Historical_research#Ser_Eddard_d'Argenteux|additional researcher]] to the list of senior historical researchers. This is to cover historical research into topics for which research into songs, stories, legends, and myth might be the most appropriate avenue of inquiry.

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''4/06/2025'''
We've updated the upkeep for a [[college of magic]] and for a [[runeforge]], and introduced a new rule on the maximum number of such facilities that the Empire can support. The old rules for upkeep were somewhat incomprehensible, the new rules are much easier to understand and make it much easier for us to run plot around these important commissions. There is more detail on the update on the [[Rules_update_2025#Colleges_and_Runeforges|rules update wiki page]] explaining the changes, the impacts and the reasoning for them.

==Senate==
* '''2/06/2025'''
We've updated several pages on the running of Senate. We've extended the description of [[Senate_session#Expert_Witness|expert witnesses]] to match how it is working in practice and included a copy of the Civil Service's guidance for expert witnesses. As part of this, there is a new rule that senators [[Senator#Limitations|can't act as expert witnesses]] themselves.

We also updated the page on [[Senate_session#Sunday_session |Senate sessions]], introducing stricter plans on Sunday to help the session finish promptly.

==Ritual Theory==
* '''29/05/2025'''
We've updated the [[ritual theory]] page. It was already huge, so we've split some of the content up into logical chunks on new pages, creating a page for the [[limits of magic]] as well as one on the [[laws of magic]]. We've significantly overhauled the content on [[eternals and rituals]] and created a new page for that also - there is a lot of additional information there now for players whose characters are involved with ritual magic.

We've also added a page on [[war magic]] which discusses the possibilities and potential of using the realms to enchant armies, military units and fleets. This page reflects the changes we've made earlier this year, but brings a lot of the key information together, so that it is one place.

==Herbal==
* '''16/05/2025'''
We've added the details for a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]; something similar to a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], but for one or more potions. The entry shows how they are made, how they can be added to Imperial lore, and how they can be destroyed.

==Towerjacks==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've edited the ''dig in'' order of the [[Army qualities#Engineer|engineer]] quality to exclude the mustering of [[Army|armies]] and [[navy|navies]] from their ability to speed up a [[commission]].

==New Characters and Conquered Territories==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've updated the system so that it is no longer possible for players to create new characters in territories that have been completely conquered - that is, territories which are receiving the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] penalty. This is partly done to ensure new players unfamiliar with the state of the campaign do not make the mistake of starting in a territory where they will face significant additional challenges.

==Citadels==
* '''13/05/2025'''
We've added a page for citadels, the new commission type from the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#All_Along_the_Watchtower|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune. (Citadels have since been replaced with new rules for fortifications).

==Vines and Symbols==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've added a note to the [[Vine#Costume|costume]] section of the Vine page to make clear that it is not appropriate to use a square red diamond on its own as part of costume, to avoid accidentally breaching the Geneva Convention by using a symbol of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_and_Red_Crescent_Movement International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement].

==Arcane Projections==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've made a change to the [[Arcane_projection#Preparing_an_Arcane_Projection|deadline for submission]] of [[arcane projection|arcane projections]]. Rather than the late booking deadline, the deadline for the Spring Equinox will be the early booking deadline, and after that the deadline will permanently shift to the close of downtime. You can read more about it in the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Arcane_Projections|Spring Equinox interlude]].

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've changed the email address for players who run a [[college of magic]] or [[runeforge]] to send their submissions to. Rather than rules, they should now be sent to {{plot}}. The deadline for submissions (the end of downtime) remains unchanged.

==Glossary==
* '''11/04/2025'''
We have added a [[glossary]] page to the wiki with some more information on common terms used in Empire and LRP as a whole. We expect this to be updated on a semi-regular basis as more terms come to light. Any queries or suggestions can be sent to [mailto:wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk].

==Dreamcatchers==
* '''07/04/2025'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher Dreamcatchers] will be inappropriate for use in [[costume]] at Empire from event three this year onwards. We want to avoid using items that are culturally sacred in real life because it is more difficult to ignore their real world significance and we don't want to disrespect people's beliefs. We've managed to speak to some of the players affected already, and everyone has responded very positively, but we realise we haven't been able to speak to everyone about this change - hence the reason for two events' grace to allow players to make any changes needed to their costume.

==League Look and Feel==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have rewritten [[the League look and feel]] to move beyond from the more restrictive costume options presented by the original brief. We do want the League to have a really clear visual look that defines the nation, but we want to ensure that it includes garments that everyone can feel confident wearing.

==Combat==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have update the combat rules for Empire to say that head hits will not be allowed at any events in 2025. We are trialling the new rules, so please see the [[Rules_update_2025#Combat|rules update page]] for more details.

==Alignment==
* '''28/03/2025'''
We've added a fourth option to the [[declaration]] of [[alignment]], that of [[alignment#Acceptance|Acceptance]], as a result of opportunities created by plot over the last year or so. This allows the Conclave to accept or refuse an offer from an eternal, in a manner that the Archmage of the appropriate realm can also use.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''25/03/2025'''
We've made several changes to rituals that [[enchantment|enchant]] an [[Army|Imperial army]]. Almost every army enchantment ritual has changed in some fashion. It is no longer possible to change the [[Army qualities|quality]] of an army with magic, and the resonant effects for each realm have been much more clearly defined. You can find out more about these changes in the accompanying [[rules update]].
* [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]] ([[Urizen lore]]; Summer 80): now fills soldiers with supernatural prowess, increasing the strength of an army by the equivalent of 1000 extra warriors. It's also gained an option for additional targets. The roleplaying associated with it has also changed, meaning it is no longer considered a ritual that uses savagery to create its effect.
* [[Find the Best Path]] (Autumn 80): Now grants a campaign army the ability to move through an additional territory, rather than granting the [[Army qualities#Fast|fast]] quality. The magnitude has been lowered to 80, and an option to include additional targets has been added.
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]] (Winter 120): We've reduced the magnitude of the ritual and been significantly clearer about the unpredictable dangers associated with the ritual.
* [[Machines of Destruction]] (Autumn 135): No longer offered by [[Estavus]] and removed from the [[Mystic scrolls of Estavus]] page.
* [[Loosen the Shackles]] ([[Urizen lore]]) Winter 120): now gives an enchanted army the equivalent of 4,000 extra soldiers but only for purposes of inflicting casualties on an enemy. The magnitude has increased to 120. It still draws on the forbidden power of [[Agramant]].
* [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] (Winter 80): The effects of the ritual have been increased. In addition to making the army more resistant to effects related to poison and venom, it also reduces damage suffered from other means.
* [[Bound by Common Cause]] (Autumn 80): has had its effect completely redesigned and now reduces the upkeep of an army while providing potential narrative bonuses.
* [[Fire on the Water]] and [[Eyes of the Hills]] cannot currently be cast; we are still deciding how to deal with them.

The change has also affected some non-enchantment rituals.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] (Day 14): now provides information about enchantments on armies and fortifications in the territory scried.
* [[Eye of the High Places]] (Day 14): now provides information about large-scale effects on a territory.
* [[Dreams in the Witch House]] (Night 14): has been reworked to make it better reflect the way the ritual had evolved in play and to widen the kind of information it provides. The magnitude has increased to 14, bringing it into line with similar divinations.

==Fleet Enchantments==
* '''24/03/2025'''
In conjunction with our [[#Military Unit Enchantments|changes to military units]], we've also updated the way a [[fleet]] acts in [[downtime]]. As with military units, we've streamlined the actions that can be taken by a fleet captain, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any fleet captain can take, and defined others more closely. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update. The magnitudes of rituals have not changed, nor has the amount of benefit they provide; we've just defined what action that benefit applies to more clearly.

Rituals affected include [[Blood and Salt]] (supports raiding), [[Winds of Fortune]] (supports trading), [[The Lure of Distant Shores]] (supports trading), [[Sular's Promise]] (supports trading), [[Golden Voyage]] (supports questing), [[Muffled Oar]] (supports scouting), and [[Piranhas Devour the Kraken]] (supports campaigning). The ritual ''Shroud of Rolling Fog'', which is not in Imperial lore, has likewise been adjusted to support a single category of fleet action.

We've also added a new ritual to Imperial Lore: [[Wolves of the Hungry Sea]] (Winter 12) that is used to support guarding actions.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Imperial Sodalities==
* '''18/03/2025'''
We've made several significant changes to the procedures and benefits of creating an [[Imperial sodality]]. Key among them is the idea that a truly Imperial sodality is capable of wielding legal powers and appointing titles; that anyone can become a voting member of an Imperial sodality simply by receiving a ritual mark; that one can only be a voting member of a single Imperial sodality; and that their creation and upkeep are now much more clearly defined. This has also involved an addition to the powers of [[The Throne#The Great Councils|the Throne]], [[Powers of the Imperial Senate#Imperial Sodalities|Powers of the Imperial Senate]], and [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|New Imperial titles]]. There's also a new ritual in Imperial Lore - [[Mark of Fellowship]] - that supports membership of an Imperial Sodality.

We've also written a [[Rules update 2025#Imperial Sodalities|Rules Update]] discussing the changes.

==Runa's Gift==
* '''14/03/2025'''
We have added a page for [[Runa's Gift]] to the wiki and the recipe list is now available for [[Surgical_skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] to learn. These potions come as a result of the [[Yerende]] joining the [[Imperial Orcs]] and use [[realmsroot]]. Anyone who has the necessary ingredients in their inventory and has learned the recipe list can email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] before the '''1<sup>st</sup> of April''' to mix potions from this recipe list before the event.

==Military Unit Enchantments==
* '''14/03/2025 '''
We've overhauled the way [[military unit|military units]] act in [[downtime]]. The focus has been on streamlining the actions that can be taken by a player with that resource, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any military unit can take (such as mercenary work or seeking glory) as well as a small number of adventures available to specific nations or archetypes. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports, and to remove rituals that supported multiple actions. Some magnitudes have shifted up or down as well. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update.

Rituals affected include [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver]] (supports raiding), [[Raise the Standard of War]] (supports campaigning), [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] (supports campaigning and has also gained an [[#Assurances|assurance]]), [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]] (supports raiding, magnitude lowered), [[Clad in Golden Raiment]] (supports campaigning and the magnitude has increased to 6), [[Sharp Eyes of the Corsair]] (supports scouting), [[Lions of Phoenix Reach]] (supports campaigning), [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]] (supports campaigning), and [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] (supports scouting).

As well as rituals in Imperial Lore, there have also been changes to these [[Urizen lore]] rituals: [[Aspect of the Mountain]], [[Peregrine and Ichimos]], and [[Raise the Dragonsworn Cohort]] (all now explicitly support the guarding action), [[Unleash the Beasts Within]] (the magnitude has increased to 16, and the enchantment now supports the campaigning action).

These changes have also affected a few rituals that are not in either Imperial lore or Urizen lore. Specifically, [[Accoutrements of War]] (supports campaigning, no longer provides green iron), and ''Weaver at the Web'' (supports scouting actions).

We've also introduced a new ritual, [[Feast of Heroes]], a [[Summer magic]] enchantment that supports military units taking a [[Military unit#Questing|questing]] action.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Assurances ==
* '''13/03/2025'''
* '''Updated 26/03/2025'''
We have added [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurances]] and [[eternal|eternals]] to the pages of a number of rituals. This is a result of the [[Unfettered Mind]] having been instructed to [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Concord_:_Study_Rituals|investigate]] the ritual [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] by the Imperial Conclave, and the continuation of the order's efforts. Any member of the order can roleplay that they were part of this research; appropriate stories might involve tracking across the Empire, careful discussion with scholars, or negotiations with isolated covens for snippets of information.
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Balanced Scales of Lann]]
*[[Carve the Crystal Guardian]]
*[[Challenge the Iron Duke]]
*[[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]]
*[[Conclave of Trees and Shadow‎‎]]
*[[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]]
*[[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
*[[Ephisis' Scale]]
*[[Fire in the Blood]]
*[[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
*[[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]]
*[[Gift of Knowledge]]
*[[Kimus' Glaring Eye]]
*[[Lions of Phoenix Reach]]
*[[Prowess of the Golden Magician]]
*[[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]]
*[[Quickening Cold Meat]]
*[[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]
*[[Sorin's Chastising Touch]]
*[[Sorin's Rite of Agony]]
*[[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]
*[[The Basalt Citadel]]
*[[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]]
*[[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]]</div>

==Realms and their Inhabitants==
* '''25/01/2025'''
We've done an overhaul of the [[realm]] and [[eternal]] pages adding examples and further details about each of the realms and the powers and restrictions of eternals. We have also added the [[Inhabitants of the realms]] page which goes into detail about the various creatures that live in each of the realms.

==Links on the Tactical Map==
* '''29/12/2024'''
We've added links to each territory - and some important areas like the Semmerlak or the Bay of Catazar - to the [[Map - Coloured Territories|coloured territories]] map page. It is now possible to click on an area of the map to be taken to the specific territory's page.

==Names of the Chain==
* '''05/12/2024'''
We've swapped the names of star #1 and star #5 on [[the Chain]]. The writer had confused his left and right and got the anchor at the wrong end of the constellation.

==Arcane Gambit and Ilium==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've updated [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] and the [[Ilium#Removing_a_Permanent_Effect|ilium]] page to detail how an [[enchantment]] that has been made permanent with [[ilium]] can be moved by that Night ritual. The magnitude required is based on the total amount of ilium that could/should have been used to make the enchantment permanent without any [[opportunity]] being taken into account.

==Throne Judgement==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've added a note to [[the Throne]], providing them explicitly with the ability to raise a [[judgement]] [[The Throne#Member of the Assembly of Nine|in the Assembly of Nine only]] in the event they do not control a [[congregation]].

==Assignment==
* '''10/09/2024'''
We have updated the power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assignment]] to set down that a motion to assign a territory is always raised as an administrative motion by the Speaker for the Senate.

==Veto==
* '''31/08//2024'''
We have updated [[veto]] to remove the ambiguity about when a veto held over from the previous event ends. We have put a fixed end point, 10pm on Saturday night. The [[Rules_update_2024#Veto|rules update]] page contains the OOC reasoning and the IC justification for this edit.

==Proxies and Resigning==
* '''22/08/2024'''
We have added an entry to the [[Proxy#Restrictions|restrictions]] of what a proxy can do. It is not possible for a proxy to resign on behalf of the title holder as that is not a power of a specific Imperial title.

==Maps of Otkodov==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have added a note that was missing to the [[Otkodov]] page making clear that the Empire only has a strategic map of [[Verthandi]]. When the first spy network was created the entirety of Otkodov was mapped in error. To gain access to strategic maps of the other territories of the Thule additional [[spy network|spy networks]] would need to be constructed and [[Military_unit#Scout_an_Area|supported]] in the normal fashion.

==Senate Voting==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[Senate motion]] page to remove an option for secret voting. We've removed it because it hadn't been used in years if ever, because supporting it logistically would have been a massive hassle, but mostly because it runs contrary to the major design elements of Empire around the operation of politics within the game.

==Audio recordings==
* '''09/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[photography]] rules to remove the option to make audio recordings at events. On further consideration we were convinced that audio recording was much closer to filming and should follow the same rules and guidelines. As a general rule of thumb we want to minimise intrusion: we permit people to take photographs, but that is the limit.

==Black Plateau Template==
* '''24/07/2024'''
We have changed the formatting for the Black Plateau template that we use to increase readability and in an attempt to avoid eyestrain. It has changed from black text on a grey background to white text on a black background.

==Fleet Great Work Restrictions==
* '''13/07/2024'''
We've added a note to the [[Great work]] page making clear that a great work that supports [[fleet|fleets]] can only be built in a region with the coastal [[Region qualities|quality]].

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''25/06/2024'''
We've added a line to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#OOC_Elements|OOC elements]] of [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] to add a little clarity to what happens if you want to summon the spirit of a dead NPC.

==Sung and their Counsel==
* '''22/06/2024'''
We've made a couple of tiny changes to the [[Sung]] page, to provide more context for the kind of mysteries that the eternal encourages you to probe and look into and those mysteries she prefers to stay hidden. We've coupled this with a set of updates to the main ritual that draws on Sung's power [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]].

We've decided to change the way we respond to queries to Sung to try and provide more useful information going forwards. We want to keep some of the enigmatic quality of the responses, which some of those players casting the ritual currently enjoy - but we want to make it easier to get more useful insight, guidance and wisdom from the ritual.

To help us do that we've changed the way we'll be responding to the ritual going forwards. We created a set of guidelines for the style of responses that we'll give to the different kinds of questions we've been getting up to now. Hopefully this means that where we can provide some useful information or clues to players about a plot we'll be able to continue to do that, but where Sung can't or won't give an answer we'll be able to respond in a way that makes clear why that is the case.

The goal with these changes is to make the ritual more useful to players but also make it easier for us to produce the responses. We want to emphasize the roleplaying interaction with Sung - but allow the eternal more freedom to give out more useful information when it exists.
==Martial Titles==
* '''10/06/2024'''
We have added [[Captain of the Throne Guard]] to the list of martial titles because of their duties to defend the Throne. There is no requirement to pick a skilled fighter for the role - it has many other duties besides fighting - but it is acceptable for the Throne to include such considerations when picking who they want for the Throne Guard.

==Savagery and Fire on the Water==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated the declaration of [[interdiction]] from [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction_%3A_Savagery_of_Armies|Autumn Equinox 385YE]] to include the ritual [[Fire on the Water]] and added a note to the page for the ritual. This was missed at the time as being a ritual that was covered by the interdiction.

==Endorsement==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated [[endorsement]] to make clear that you cannot use it to permit a sorcerer to carry out an act of magic that is illegal for them to do. Endorsement cannot be used to undermine Conclave itself, so it Conclave has declared someone a sorcerer, it's not possible to supersede that with endorsement.

==Guiding an Order==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We have formalised how [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guiding an order]] using a Declaration of [[Concord]] works. It now requires 20 mana crystals directly from the [[Conclave_vault#The_Font|Font]] and can only be used as a result of an opportunity, unless specified otherwise. It continues to require the use of one of the order's two declarations.

==Territory Curses==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We've made several changes to ritual curses that work on the [[territory]] level. All such curses now explicitly have the chance to have unexpected effects depending on where and when they are cast. We've added a section to the [[curse]] page detailing this. There have also been other changes made to several specific curses.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a fixed penalty on mana sites. We also removed the lethargy and depression [[roleplaying effect]] element.
* [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a set 72 ring penalty on a farm rather than the previous 50% penalty.
* [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] places a 2 rank penalty on fleets, and no longer harms navies moving through the target territory.
* [[Thunderous Deluge]] reduces resource production by two ranks rather than a percentage.
* [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]] have remained the same but we've added boxes discussing some of the unique peculiarities of the rituals.
* [[Winter's Ghosts]] affects all resources save [[congregation|congregations]], but inflicts a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] does not harm armies that move through the territory. Its effects apply to mines and forests as well as farms, and inflict a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] requires a region with the forest quality (it no longer works on marshes). It no longer affects armies passing through the territory, and reduces production of all personal resources in the territory except fleets.
* [[The Flower is Withered on the Stalk]] remains unchanged but we added a boxout laying out more clearly the limitations of the curse.

==Pronunciation Guide==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have deleted the pronunciation guide page from the wiki. Anyone who has a query on how we pronounce something is welcome to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to ask.

==Fire Safety==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have updated the [[fire safety]] page with updated rules for the limited use of small pyrotechnics at events.

==Dedication==
* '''28/05/2024'''
We've made a minor edit to the [[Dedication#Dreams|dreams]] section of the [[dedication]] skill to replace "priest of the Way" with "a priest who is not dedicated to a specific virtue". The former wording was a holdover from the period where dedication was linked to the assembly a priest was part of. The new wording makes in explicit that the ability to pick any Virtue for oracular dreams is for priests that are not dedicated.

==Senatorial Elections==
* '''23/05/2024'''
We have updated [[Dawn leadership]] to add confirmation that nobles must be physically present in the Glory Square unless there are any accessibility issues that make that difficult. In that case our team will make whatever accommodations are needed to support a player.

We've updated [[Wintermark_political_leadership|Wintermark leadership]] to change the duration of the election from one hour to half an hour. This is based on feedback that candidates were unduly having to wait around much longer than the election practically needed.

We've updated the [[Varushka leadership]] to better describe how it works in practice and to make clear that the right of witness does apply to the part of the meeting dedicated to picking the senator.

We've updated the [[League leadership]] to remove the requirement not to exchange bonds before the start of the election. This was unenforceable in practice and needlessly restrictive. Empire is meant to be a deeply political game and we'd like players to have the first half of the summit to engage in as much roleplaying as they want over the exchange of voting bonds.

==Warding Rituals==
* '''14/04/2024'''
We have added an OOC note to the rituals that ward an area to make clear that you must inform a ref about it before you pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] and get the props you are planning on using checked. The affected rituals are :
* [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]]
* [[Retreat to the White Caves]]
* [[There Is No Welcome Here]]
* [[Wardens of the Black Waste]]

==Imperial Orcs==
* '''11/04/2024'''
We've made extensive updates to the [[Imperial Orcs]] pages, primarily related to the introduction of [[sept|septs]]. This also touches on a number of other elements including the introduction of a new group archetype (the coterie) and changes to the way ancestors work. Many pages now have additional information on them, but the biggest changes are:
* Addition of the six septs: [[Ethengraw]], [[Illarawm]], [[Sannite]], [[Sunstorm]], [[Tamazi]], and [[Yerende]]
* Revision of the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] page
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Septs|septs]] to the [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs]] page.
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions#Spiritweaving|Spiritweaving]] to the [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions]] page.
* We've removed the Imperial Orcs lineage and species page as the information on that page was now redundant.
New characters can select their sept during character creation. Existing characters can change their sept by emailing [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk]. You can also change sept during play by engaging in the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs#The Living Bridge|appropriate ceremony]] then going to GOD.
==League Orcs==
* '''08/04/2024'''
We have updated [[the League]] brief to incorporate new material relevant to playing an [[orc]] in [[the League]], reflecting current developments. It is now possible for players creating a new character in the League to choose whether they are playing an orc or a human.

As part of the change we've made a number of updates to several League pages:
* [[The League|Introduction]]
* [[The League people|The people]]
* [[The League culture and customs|Culture and customs]]
* [[The League look and feel|Look and feel]]
* [[The League history|History]]
* [[The League religious beliefs|Religious beliefs]]
* [[The League magical traditions|Magical traditions]]

==Cold Sun==
* '''04/03/2024'''
We've added a new wiki page for [[Cold Sun]], the cruelly impassive eternal of the Day realm whose forces are currently threatening a number of locations in the Empire. While this is mostly a campaign update, we've included it here because we have taken the winter to tinker with some of the stats of the heralds involved to try and make them more interesting and engaging to fight against, so there are some rules changes. Also, in the past there has been some confusion over the abilities of the heralds of Cold Sun. They are very much not [[Calls#Monstrous_Creatures|monstrous creatures]] so they take the effects of all calls that hit them legitimately, including the effects of [[weakness]]. There is no indication that looting heralds of Cold Sun will result in any kind of curse, nor are they able to reflect back calls. There was some confusion early on due to the way that the brief was delivered before the first block of skirmishes at E3 2023. We have taken all steps possible to try to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Part of the reason for us presenting this information here as clearly as possible is to ensure that those going on skirmishes can have some idea of what they might be up against.

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''21/02/2024'''
We've made some changes to the language around sanctioned events. Previously, "sanctioned event" included both any event taking place in the continuity of the Empire campaign world, and specifically events containing plot elements. We've explicitly renamed the kind of event with plot, NPCs, and combat as a "plot event", leaving "sanctioned event" to refer to all events not run by Profound Decisions that are considered part in the Empire campaign.

We've also added a section of additional guidance on [[Sanctioned_event_advice#Communication_Magic|Communication Magic]] at sanctioned events. While it can't be used to speak to off-stage NPCs in the wider world, it is possible for the creators of a plot event to use certain types of communication magic within the context of their plot.
==Tisanes of the Labyrinth==
* '''17/02/2024'''
We've changed [[Usher's Decoction]] and [[Tisanes of the Labyrinth#Waywalker's Suffusion|Waywalker's Suffusion]] to be [[Potion#Tonics|tonics]]. This means their effects cannot be stacked with each other.

==Aspect magic==
* '''16/02/2024'''
We've changed the name of the magical tradition formerly known as ''totem magic'' to [[aspect magic]] as it more accurately reflects the function of that tradition. We have also taken the opportunity to change the term for calling on aspects of mundane animals in magic to [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] rather than ''spirit animals''.

==Liao Ceremony Cooperation==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've edited the [[Religious skills#Cooperation|cooperation]] section on the [[religious skills]] page to make it clear that it is [[dedication]] and not membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|virtue assembly]] that determines who a character can perform a ''virtue ceremony'' in cooperation with. Now that it is possible for a character to be dedicated to one virtue, but a member of a different Virtue assembly through the use of the preaching [[Congregation#Downtime options|downtime option]], the original wording was open to misinterpretation.

==Synod Votes and Lay Members==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've removed the reference to "appropriate virtue assembly" from the [[Sinecure#Synod_Votes|Sinecure]] page, with regard to people who are not members of the [[Synod]] gaining votes. Since the introduction of [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] as the method for determining Virtue assembly membership, there is no way for someone without a [[congregation]] to be part of a Virtue assembly, and someone with a congregation is already a member of the Synod.

==Veto==
* '''14/02/2024'''
On the [[Senate]] page, we've changed the word "exercised" for "submitted" and added a line making it clear the usual [[Veto#Timing|timing]] rules apply in the event the veto is being submitted following the Senate session on Sunday.

==Medium Armour==
* '''17/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to the names of certain [[:Category:Medium Armour|medium armour]] to avoid confusion since the [[Rules_update_2022#Armour|change]] to what counts as different types of armour. This has had no effect on the mechanical effect of the magic items.<br>

''Mithril Shirt'' is now [[Bloodamber Hauberk]]<br>
''Tombsteel Guardian'' is now [[Tombshroud Guardian]]<br>
''Wardensweave Scale'' is now [[Wardensweave]]<br>
''Runemail'' is now [[Runebound Ward]]<br>
''Splint Mail'' is now [[Cerulean Protector]]<br>
''Mediator's Mail'' is now [[Scrivener's Guard]]

In addition we have also changed ''Oathkeeper'' to [[Vowkeeper]] and ''Alderman's Edge'' to [[Alder's Edge]]

==Secrets of Skilful Artifice==
* '''11/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]]. The donor [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] now chooses what skill to share via the ritual, and may choose to share nothing. This partly resolves some inconsistencies with how the knowledge the ritual shares was determined, and better defines how it works with Runesmith's Law and similar effects.

==Runesmith's Law==
* '''3/1/2023'''
We've updated both [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] and [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]] to make it clear that using magic to temporarily share knowledge of how to make a unique Wintermark magic item triggers the geas not to share this knowledge. The result is that the artisan donating the knowledge to someone outside their nation permanently loses access to Runesmith's Law.

==Farms and Businesses==
* '''14/12/2023'''
We've added a line to both [[Farm#Production|farm]] and [[Business#Production|busniess]] resources to make it clearer that the income they provide represents disposable income rather than being the sum total of their seasonal production. Expenses, lifestyle, and taxes all exist below the abstraction layer.
==Regalia==
* '''11/12/2023'''
We have added a section on the [[New Imperial titles]] page which explains how the Imperial Senate can add [[New_Imperial_titles#Regalia|regalia]] to a title.
==Ossium Opportunity==
* '''31/08/2023'''
We've made a slight alteration to the [[Culling_the_threat#Dripping_Echoes|Culling the threat]] wind of fortune in the section about creating a permanent magical fortress in the Drownbark Forest. We've made it clear that the "no upkeep" element of the permanent magical fortress is part of the [[opportunity]], and not a standard part of making a magical fortress permanent. The precise mechanics of creating a permanent magical fortress would be determined on case by case basis.
==Appraisal==
* '''08/08/2023'''
Now the [[Senate]] can perform ''two'' [[appraisal|appraisals]] each season, we've added [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|a note]] to the power as to how the Imperial Auditor will proceed if both name the same researcher.
==Recognition==
* '''25/07/2023'''
We have added a new use for the judgement of [[Recognition]]; allowing the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] to recognise someone as an explicitly false exemplar or paragon. A judgement of recognition used in this way can only be raised in the General Assembly and always requires a greater majority to pass.

==Spiral Strategy==
* '''24/07/2023'''
The [[Spiral]] page has been tweaked slightly, naming the [[Spiral#The_Passes|Apulian Way]] as the connection between the territory and the Grendel nation, and adding a [[Spiral#Strategic_Considerations|Strategic Considerations]] section that summarises the geographical complications in the territory. Apart from naming the southern pass, nothing has actually changed we've just made it more explicit.

==Imperial Inquisitor==
* '''0707/2023'''
We've made a slight amendment to the responsibilities of the Imperial Inquisitor to make clear that they are part of the ''inquisitorial court''.

==Thief's Arcane Gambit==
* '''04/07/2023'''
We've added a line to [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] that specifies that the "legitimate target" for the ritual is also affected by any specific restrictions around willingness in the original enchantment. If the original enchantment can only be used on a willing target, it can only be moved to a willing target.

==Inspirational Locations==
* '''02/07/2023'''
We have replaced the old rules for inspirational tombs with some new rules for [[inspirational location|inspirational locations]]. The new rules cover using true liao to create inspirational memorials for exemplars and paragons as well as using it to consecrate a sacred sites like the Kallavesa Marshes. The new rules provide a detailed framework that lays out how characters do this - what steps are needed in-character and what the outcome will be at each stage. We've provided more explanation for the changes and why we've made them in the [[rules update 2023]] page.

==Sentinel Gate==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We have removed references to getting a traumatic wound if you travel back too late through the sentinel gate. Implementation of this rule was always spotty at best and it violated some of our core design principles in the way it confused in-character and out-of-character objectives. We don't want players to return through the gate late, because it plays havoc with the schedule that everyone, players and ourselves, are relying on. Most participants implicitly appreciate this and make the best effort possible to return to Anvil before the gate begins to close. Traumatic wounds are intended to lead to further roleplaying for the participants who receive them, they are not meant to punish participants for taking the wrong action. Empire tries as hard as possible to avoid mixing in-character and out-of-character consequences in that way.

==FIRST AID==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We've changed the MAN DOWN call to [[Calls#FIRST_AID|FIRST AID]]. We've made this change for two reasons, one is that we and many of our players are no longer comfortable with such a clearly gendered call. The other reason is that over the years, a few players have developed a bad habit of using the call in-character when someone gets wounded. We've replaced the call with FIRST AID - a clear call asking for the first aid team to provide assistance.

We understand that many of participants will continue to use MAN DOWN in emergency situations, precisely because it is the instinctive thing to shout in an emergency. That is absolutely fine, and everyone should treat the call ''exactly'' as if they had called FIRST AID. We expect it to take some years to drop the old call in favour of the new one and we would much rather participants shouted either call quickly than pause to think. The hobby has been using the man down call for decades and we do not want to compromise safety while we transition away from its use at Empire.

==Searching==
* '''29/06/2023'''
We have removed the option in the rules to carry out a real search when searching a character. Previously it was possible to do a real search, but only if both parties agreed. We've removed this option as it's not compatible with the wider system where we discourage this kind of physical contact.

==Art of the Deal==
* '''22/06/2023'''
We've changed the name of the Art of the Deal ritual to [[Winds of Fortune]]. Art of the Deal is still an alternate name for the ritual, but the main entry and all references on magic items use the new name.

==Golden Ramparts==
* '''21/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Golden Ramparts]] with an [[Golden Ramparts#Assurance|assurance]], related to the Rod and Shield, that has been helpfully uncovered by a scholar at the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun.

==Druj Miasma==
* '''16/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Druj miasma]] page, especially with reference to miasma pillars, so that it is less focused on information gained after the liberation of Reikos.

==Cruelty==
* '''14/06/2023'''
Building on the commentary we added to the [[Iron Helms]] army page [[Iron_Helms#Composition|on cruelty]], we added the word "needless" to the [[Varushka#What the Varushkans are not|what the Varushkans are not]] section on the [[Varushka]] page.

==Magic Quality==
* '''04/06/2023'''
We've explicitly added a note that the ritual targeting ability of an army with the [[Army_qualities#Magic|magic quality]] can also target a region or fortification within a territory.

==Haunted Quality==
* '''03/06/2023'''
We've decided to remove the ''Haunted'' [[army qualities|army quality]]. There are no armies with this quality, and after extensive discussion we don't believe we would ever allow any future army to have it, either as a quality or an enchantment.

==Farm Diversification==
* '''31/05/2023'''
Updated the [[Farm#Diversification|diversification]] section on the [[farm]] page to make it clearer that "herb" means one of the standard five magical herbs. Any opportunity that grants "herbs" will always mean the herbs gathered from a standard [[herb garden]] unless it explicitly says otherwise.

==Wolves of Winter==
* '''26/05/2023'''
The magnitude of the ritual ''Wolves of Winter'' has been increased in line with our recent changes to rituals that affect the downtime campaign. The ritual is not in Imperial lore, but the database has been adjusted to reflect this change.

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''20/05/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#Option|special liao option]] on the [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] ritual to make it explicit that the option is not available to orc casters.

==Throne Appointment==
* '''17/05/2023'''
We've edited the part of the [[The_Throne#Appointment|Throne appointment]] that talks about changing support around and when the election ends inconclusively. The previous wording was a little misleading.

==Navarr Warlocks==
* '''16/05/2023'''
We've changed the word "warlock" on the [[Navarr]] page. The word was very misleading and intended to be a synonym for "magician", which is what we have replaced it with.

==Commonwealth History==
* '''10/05/2023'''
We've changed the year of the formation of the [[Commonwealth#History|Commonwealth]] from 120YE to 105YE so that it is consistent with the background of [[Emperor Frederick]].

==Throne Election==
* '''05/05/2023'''
Appointment of a Throne is [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]]. We've made it more explicit that the [[Assembly of the Nine]], as well as the [[General Assembly]], can [[veto]] the election of [[the Throne]]. We've also added that one of the first things every Throne does is ratify their own appointment.

==Marsh Commissions==
* '''19/04/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[commission]] page to indicate that the [[Commission#Marshes|problem of building on marshes]] has become permanent.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''14/04/2023'''
We've added a note to [[Dreams in the Witch House]] inviting players to e-mail us before the event with information about territories they intend to scry so that we are more likely to have a response ready.

==Conjunctions==
* '''12/04/2023'''
We've updated the wiki to make it clear that characters who are nominated by the civil service to [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|oversee a conjunction]] can delegate that authority to another character and that they are not expected to go on the conjunction if they don't want to do so. Any player who doesn't want to oversee a conjunction can contact plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to have the responsibility shifted to another character.

==Endorsement==
* '''08/04/2023'''
Clarified the limits of [[endorsement|endorsing]] deals with eternals. An endorsement cannot support a deal made with an eternal that is under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] ''at the time the deal is made''. Amity or Neutrality cannot be retroactively applied.

==Divination Rituals==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We've made matching updates to [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] and [[Combing the Beach]], Both rituals now require an effigy to perform, and that the question posed be submitted the previous night. The response to the ritual now comes when it is performed, rather than some time afterwards. You can find more details about the change on the [[Rules update 2023#Divination Ritual Updates|Rules update]] page.

==Shuttle Service==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We have taken the decision not to charge for the [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Banbury_Shuttle_Service|shuttle service in 2023]]. We have no plans to charge for the shuttle in the future if the costs to run the service remain similar.

==Regio and Portals==
* '''05/04/2023'''
We made some adjustments to [[detect magic]] and [[operate portal]] to lay out their functionality when it comes to detecting and identifying [[regio]] and the portals that lie within them. We included in operate portal the mechanics of accessing the Hall of Worlds (copied from the regio page), given how commonly that spell effect is used by magicians.

==Military Rituals==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've made several updates to rituals that involve [[Army|armies]] and [[fortification|fortifications]]. The [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Rituals|Rules Update 2023]] page goes through these changes in detail. The rituals affected are [[Knights of Glory]], [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[The Basalt Citadel]], [[Golden Ramparts]] and [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]].

We've also modified [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], [[Quickening Cold Meat]], and the non-Imperial ritual '''Footsteps of the Fallen''' to change the [[roleplaying effects]] experienced by the [[general]] targeted by the [[enchantment]].

==Resources and Conquered Territories==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've changed the way [[fleet|fleets]] and [[military unit|military units]] interact with the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] rules. Previously these two resources had been exempt from the penalty for being in a conquered territory; we've removed that exemption. You can read more about this change in the [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Units_and_Fleets|rules update]].

==Venom==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've clarified the [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] call to make it explicit that if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

==Spring Rituals==
* '''23/03/2023'''
The effects of [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] have been significantly changed, and we've removed the '''Midwife's Recourse''' ritual from the game. Discussion of and explanation for these changes can be found on the [[Rules_update_2023#Spring_Rituals|Rules update 2023]]page. We also added a medicine section to the [[Technology#Medicine|Technology]] page, and a section on the [[Healing in Empire#Pregnancy and childbirth|healing in Empire]] page.

==COVID Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have updated the [[entry requirements]] and the rules for [[COVID safety]] for our events in 2023.

==Bow Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have overhauled the rules for [[bow safety]] at Empire. Please make sure you read and understand the new rules if you use a bow or crossbow at any point at the events.

==Blood of the Hydra==
* '''14/03/2023'''
[[Blood of the Hydra]] has been amended to make it explicit that it is intended for the treatment of limbs ruined by effects such as [[Calls#CLEAVE|CLEAVE]] or the like. It cannot be used to regrow internal or damaged organs, and is only useful for traumatic wounds when explicitly called out. Damaged internal organs are very much intended to be in the purview of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], and regenerating or replacing them magically is a much more significant use of magic than simply repairing a limb ruined by a sword. '''(23/03/2023)''' Further discussion of this change can be found [[Rules_update_2023#Reasoning:_Blood_of_the_Hydra|here]].

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We've changed the casting time on [[Chimes of Annulment]] to be 2 minutes rather than 5, to bring it in to line with other rituals.

==Knight-protector Declination==
* '''10/03/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Appointment|Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] about what happens if someone wins the tourney but declines to take the title.

==Vital Strength of the Earth==
* '''09/03/2023'''
We've corrected an error in [[Vital Strength of the Earth]] which had the increased magnitude for additional targets at 5, rather than 24.

==Lineage in Play==
* '''08/03/2023'''
We added some material about gaining (and losing) lineage after character creation. There's a section on the [[lineage#Gaining_lineage_in_play|lineage]] page, and sections on each of the individual lineage pages in the ''Imperial (lineage)'' sections.

==Liao and PLV==
* '''08/03/2023'''
Additional information about [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] has been added to the [[liao]] page. We've also added a new page laying out the procedures and mechanics involved in having a [[past life vision]].

==Card Wording==
* '''02/03/2023'''
We've added a line to the rules about [[Game_items#Cards|cards]] pointing out that when a game item card and the rules on the wiki differ, the rules take precedence. Usually this is because a card was printed during an earlier iteration of the rules.

==Auras==
* '''01/03/2023'''
We've made a few updates to the [[aura]] page. [[Aura#Durable Auras|Durable auras]] are now auras that last indefinitely unless replaced, and we've specified [[Aura#Strong Auras|strong auras]] as being auras with a strength higher than one. We've also explicitly called out that the [[insight]] skill does [[Aura#Virtue|not reveal]] which (if any) virtue or malign spiritual presence an aura is tied to. Finally, we've added a section giving some information about [[Aura#Spontaneous Auras|spontaneous auras]] to the page.

==Booking IC Spaces==
* '''28/02/2023'''
We've added the facility for characters to book IC spaces at the event - the Hub, Hall of Worlds, Military Council and Senate - when not in use for official business. We've added a section to the page on [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|Anvil]] to explain how this works and how to make a booking.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've edited the description of the ritual effect for [[Dreams in the Witch House]] to bring it more into line with the way the ritual is actually working in the field.

==Eye of the High Places==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've removed the requirement for this ritual to be performed in a powerful Day [[regio]], to bring it into line with [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] and [[Dreams in the Witch House]].

==Align the Celestial Net==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've made a slight tweak to [[Align the Celestial Net]] to bring it into line with [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]. Neither ritual can be performed by a coven that is drawing on the power of the target [[regio]] to allow them to cast the ritual.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''23/02/2023'''
We've changed the casting time of rituals that target Imperial Armies to 10 minutes, with the new rule about using the Imperial regio to reduce the casting time to 5 minutes. So far the affected rituals are [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Brotherhood of Tian]], [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]], [[Eyes of the Hills]], and [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Machines_of_Destruction|Machines of Destruction]].This brings them into line with the other army enchantment rituals.

==Longer Rituals==
*'''23/02/2023'''
We've added an additional power to the [[Regio#The Imperial Regio|Imperial Regio]]. Any ritual with a casting time of at least 10 minutes can be cast in 5 minutes instead when using the Imperial regio. We're updating existing ritual pages to include a reminder of this effect. We've added a note to the "imperial enchantments" ([[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]) to indicate that they do not have their casting time reduced by the Imperial regio.

==Phial of the Sun / Bloodcloak==
* '''22/02/2023'''
We've updated the rules text for the [[Phial of the Sun]] and [[Bloodcloak]] [[magic items]] to make it explicit that they only duplicate the effect of the five traditional magical [[herb|herbs]]; [[Bladeroot]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]], [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Marrowort]], and [[True Vervain]]. While other substances might be described as herbs, they are distinct from the five herbs used by [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] that these magic items can replicate.

==Navarr Are Not...==
* '''15/02/2023'''
We've added a new bullet point to [[Navarr#What_the_Navarr_are_not|What the Navarr are not]] making it clear that while the [[Navarr]] are merciless toward their enemies, they are just as law abiding as any other Imperial nation.

==Conclave Changes==
* '''11/02/2023'''
We've made extensive changes to the [[Conclave]]. This touches on the way a [[Conclave session]] is organised, all the [[declaration|declarations]], and almost all of the [[Imperial title|titles]] associated with the Conclave, as well as [[the Throne]]. Rather than repeat them here, you can find a summary of the changes on the [[Rules_update_2023#Conclave_Changes|Rules update 2023]] page.

==Advisor on the Vallorn==
* '''11/02/2023'''
As part of the updates to the [[Conclave]], we've removed the power of the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] to raise a free [[Declaration]] of [[Interdiction]].

==Unstoppable and Pretending to be Dead==
* '''19/01/2023'''
We've edited the rules for [[Heroic_skills#Unstoppable|Unstoppable]]. We haven't change the rules, but we've tried to make the intent behind the skill use clearer. We've also rolled in some points from the [[Rules FAQ]] as having information about a skill in two places can be unhelpful.

At the same time, we've made the rule about pretending to be dead or dying more prominent by moving it to the section of the rules dealing with [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

==Operating Portals==
* '''11/01/2023'''
We've made a few minor edits to [[operate portal]] and related effects (specifically the [[Ambassadorial Gatekeeper]] ritual) to make it clearer that you can't bring along additional living creatures even if they are [[combat#Dying|dying]] or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]].

We've also added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Banner_of_the_Season|Banner of the Season]] power of the [[Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] that the Summer Banner is specifically more potent than the others, as there had been some confusion around the fact the item is notably different to the other three.

==Necessary Details==
* '''27/09/2022'''
We added a note to the [[Commission#Necessary_Details|necessary details]] section on the [[commission]] page making it explicit that in the absence of details about the cost of a commission, the civil service will always assume it is the minimum size allowed for such a commission.

==Accoutrements of War==
* '''16/08/2022'''
We've added a boxout to the [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Accoutrements_of_War|Accoutrements of War]] ritual making it clearer that the special production granted by the [[enchantment]] ''only'' applies to paid work, not to every action under the independent action dropdown.

==Cardinals and Assemblies==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[cardinal]] page in the [[Cardinal#Appointment|appointment]] section reinforcing the idea that a cardinal must be a member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|assembly]] they lead. Changing assembly (perhaps through [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] in downtime) means the cardinal forfeits their title. Likewise, someone without a [[congregation]] who gains membership of an assembly through the votes granted by a [[sinecure]] cannot become cardinal because as soon as they do, they lose their former [[Imperial title]] and no longer meet the criteria to be cardinal. Both are very edge cases, but are worth bearing in mind.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the three [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] up from 160 to 200. In-character magical scholars believe this is due to the increasing size of the Empire, and might have been heralded by a [[A_yellow_star_hung#A_Light_that_Never_Goes_Out|subtle conjunction]] of the esoteric [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]] of [[the Key]] and [[the Lock]] during the Autumn Equinox. Out-of-character this is because we want to keep these rituals challenging, and the former magnitude is no longer as difficult to achieve as it was when the game began.

We also took the opportunity to change how [[Hallow of the Green World]] works. Previously the coven had to choose which herb the herb gardens would create. This is because when we first created these rituals we didn't have the ability to add random herbs to resources. Now that we do, we've update the ritual to work a little bit more like [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]] and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]] whose bonus production is set by the base resource rather than being chosen.

==Cruel Quality==
* '''06/09/2022'''
In July, we made a change to the [[Army qualities#Cruel|Cruel]] quality which we forgot to document at the time. Rather than an army with this quality automatically revealing it to everyone in a territory, it is only noticeable when it actively takes the [[Army_qualities#Cruel|Merciless Assault]] order. This change was made to bring the description of the quality into line with how it was actually working in terms of the downtime campaign.

==Clear Lens and Shadowed Glass==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've removed the line "''A detect magic spell may occasionally reveal if there is specific, additional information in a specific location''" from both [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] and [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]] because it was misleading; our intention was to allow some space for plot writers to create specific results from these rituals for their plots taking place on Anvil, but this has proved to be impractical.

==Parliament of Owls==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've updates the [[Raven_Seer#Parliament_of_Owls|Parliament of Owls]] power of the [[Raven Seer]] to make it clear there is only one copy of this ritual text and the Raven Seer is expected to hand it to their successor.

==Briar Bark==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've made a slight update to [[Briar#Patches_of_bark|patches of bark]] on the [[briar]] page. "While tree bark can come in a variety of colours and textures, briar bark is rough, and predominantly brown."

==Shroud of Fog and Ravens==
* '''19/08/2022'''
As noted in the '''[[Of_earth_and_sky#Game_Information|Of earth and sky]]''' wind of war, we're removing the ritual ''Shroud of Fog and Ravens'' from the game. Unfortunately, this ritual is completely incompatible with Empire's magic theory and was a remnant from the very first years of the game before we had nailed down all these elements. As a consequence we are removing this ritual. Any character who has it mastered will now have an empty "slot" for mastering new rituals. The in-character explanation is that the recent conjunction of the Lock has rendered the ritual unworkable, taking away whatever strange power it relied on. We will continue to reject attempts to create similar effects in this realm using arcane projections; it is not possible to enchant armies in this way with [[Night magic]].

==Bright Lantern of Ophis==
* '''11/08/2022'''
We've added an additional line to the [[Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis#Performing_the_Ritual|performing the ritual]] section of [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] to make it more clear that the ritual cannot be used to target other territories using the Anvil regio.

==Castellan of Spiral Castle==
* '''10/08/2022'''
We've corrected an error around the election of [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] which suggested it would be appointed in Winter when the text indicates the appointment is (correctly) Autumn.

==Improving Opportunities==
* '''07/08/2022'''
We added a section to the page on [[opportunity|opportunities]] explaining that it's rarely possible to simply [[Opportunity#Amending._Improving.2C_and_Upgrading|improve a commission]] gained via an opportunity.

==Visions==
* '''03/08/2022'''
We've made it explicit that the visions received from [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper_Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]] and [[Signs and Portents]] are the same. If you experience one, you get the same vision from all other incidences of these kinds of visions for the rest of the event.

==Concedence==
* '''29/7/2022'''
The Constitutional Court have issued new guidance on the use of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]] by the Imperial Senate. The new guidance grants national assemblies the right to veto a motion that cedes a region or territory assigned to that nation. This new guidance does not cover any concedence already passed by the Imperial Senate, it is not a retrospective change, it applies to any motion of Concedence passed by the Imperial Senate from Summer 384YE and onwards.

==Raising an Army==
* '''29/07/2022'''
We've amended the rules to make clear that you can only raise an army in a territory of that nation. Nobody has ever tried to raise an army somewhere else, but we wanted to be clear that that is not possible.

==Consecration==
* '''20/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Consecration#Performance|performance]] section of the [[consecration]] skill to make it clearer that "letting a referee know in advance" means "during an event" rather than "prior to the event."

==Challenge the Iron Duke==
* '''14/07/2022'''
We've added a paragraph to the [[Challenge_the_Iron_Duke#OOC_Elements|out-of-character section]] of [[Challenge the Iron Duke]] to help players better manage their expectation of the kind of challenge or boon the ritual might provide.

==Abrogation==
* '''13/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogation]] power of the Senate to make it clearer that when a [[commission]] is abrogated the exact effects depend on the nature of the structure affected, but generally result in the loss of any production following the summit where the motion is passed.

==Preaching and Virtue==
* '''13/07/2022'''
The Imperial Senate [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_membership_of_virtue_assemblies|voted]] during the Spring Equinox to change how membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue Assembly]] was determined from relying solely on [[dedication]] to use of the new ''[[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach]]'' downtime option. We've updated the [[congregation]] and [[Assembly]] pages appropriately, as well as adding additional information to [[Synod#History|history of the Imperial Synod]], [[Imperial_Orcs_religious_beliefs#Membership_of_the_Virtue_Assemblies|Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] and [[preachers]] pages. There are also a number of minor edits to other pages talking about the Virtue assemblies to reflect the changes.

==IC Tents==
* '''12/07/2022'''
We have discovered that the range of tents marketed as Oxford Canvas has grown to include a small number of tents that don't meet our minimum requirements for the in-character field because the colour and thickness of the material they are made from looks too much like plastic. We've clarified the [[Costume|rules]] to make clear that these types of tent are not allowed because of this.

We do understand that the tents are appealing because they are cheap and light, but we have to have a cut-off at some point otherwise we would have to allow any tent in the IC area.

We've created an amnesty to allow these ultra-light sandstone bell tents to be used for the remainder of 2022 to remove any immediate need to change.

==Naga Scales==
* '''06/07/2022'''
We've added a line to [[Naga#Scaled_Skin|scaled skin]] under naga reminding players to be sensitive to real-world considerations when choosing the colour scheme for their scales.

==Artisan's Oil==
* '''05/07/2022'''
We've changed the time required to use [[Artisan's Oil]] to ten seconds on the wiki, to bring it in line with what the majority of the item cards say.

==Ephisis' Scale==
* '''24/06/2022'''
We've made a few tweaks to [[Ephisis' Scale]], primarily around managing expectations and being more explicit about what will, and will not, be considered by the ritual effect.

==Mage Armour Masks==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added "''mask''" to the standard pieces that count toward a suit of [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]].

==Plenipotentiary==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added a line to the [[archmage]] power of [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to make it clearer that the more specific a message is, the more likely it is to result in [[Archmage#Parley|parley]].

==Drawing the Penumbral Veil==
* '''10/06/2022'''
We've updated the [[Piercing Light of Revelation]] ritual to make it explicit that the ritual does not automatically reveal the magnitude of a shroud on a territory.

==Fane==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We added a note that the new [[fane]] commission can currently be built only by the [[Senate]] or a title that can commission ''anything''. This is both because it is a specific, new kind of commission, and because it uses the Senate power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]].

==Penumbral Watcher==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We've changed the [[Penumbral_Watcher#Shadow_Well|Shadow Well]] power of the [[Penumbral Watcher]] so that it is a "magical effect" that targets an allied [[spy network]] rather than a "territory enchantment" to better reflect how it actually works. If it ''was'' an enchantment on the territory, it would be obvious to the Empire's enemies, and could be removed with any territory enchantment they cared to place themselves.

==Brass Coast Tally==
* '''01/06/2022'''
Following on from a statement of principle in the Brass Coast National Assembly, we've [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|changed]] how the [[Tally of the Votes]] is done for Brass Coast national positions appointed through the Bourse. It's no longer required that a character engage in privateering to vote for such titles; ownership of a [[fleet]] resource is sufficient.

==Anointing and informed consent==
* '''01/06/2022'''
We've (again) updated [[anointing]]. A target does not need to be aware of what virtue they are being anointed with, but they ''must'' be aware that your ceremony is an anointing that will create a personal aura on them.

==Vallornspawn Husk Insight==
* '''29/05/2022'''
We've added a section to the [[vallornspawn husk]] page relating to use of the [[insight]] ceremony. It talks about the [[Vallornspawn_husk#Insight|contradictory results]] received when using the ceremony on bodies animated by the vallorn.

==Election Schedule==
* '''25/05/2022'''
We've [[New_Imperial_titles#Term|updated the wiki]] to make clear that the civil service set what event a title is elected on, if the title is reappointed each year. In practice titles have usually worked this way anyway - for example Bourse seats are all done together and so forth, but we have made clear that new Imperial titles are subject to this rule in all cases. We've done this because we need to be able to spread elections out through the year for the smooth running of the game.

==Sinecure==
* '''13/05/2022'''
Added a small section to the [[sinecure]] page explaining how [[sinecure#production|production]] of resources works.

==Titles, Tenure, and Ownership==
* '''12/05/2022'''
We've made some edits to the way [[tenure]] works for [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]], along with a short box-out explaining the reasons for the change. We've also added a new section called [[Imperial_title#Ownership|ownership]] which is intended to help manage the expectation of players who gain Imperial titles during the game.

==Dedication==
* '''11/05/2022'''
We've updated the overview of the [[Dedication#Overview|dedication]] page to remove an incorrect reference to only priests who are undedicated being able to remove a dedication.


==Imperial Orc Wayleave==
* '''18/04/2022'''
Fixed the error on the Imperial Orc Wayleave that had them only able to commission once a year. While the title is appointed in the Autumn Equinox it can announce one commission each season.

==Foam and Trees==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've added the line "The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual" to both [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]].

==Mountain Remembers Its Youth==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've made it clearer that [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affects fortifications alongside Imperial armies as this wasn't clear from the effect text.

==Rivers Run Red / Rivers of Life==
* '''14/04/2022'''
We've added a line "''The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual.''" to the [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] rituals to make it clear that these rituals will have an effect on the civilian population of a territory, not only the Imperial armies there.

==Hand of the Maker and Stamps==
* '''13/04/2022'''
We've updated [[Hand of the Maker]] to make it explicit that the special message used with [[Call Winged Messenger]] can be evaluated with this ritual as it has a Profound Decisions ID number.

==COVID Safety==
* '''24/03/2022'''
We've updated the wiki with our [[COVID safety]] measures for our events this year. Our plan is to review these measures and update many of them on the run up to each event on the basis of current conditions.

==Sinecure Production==
* '''23/03/2022'''
We've updated the [[sinecure]] page to make it clear that you still gain the production even if you didn't attend the event.

==Conduct Overhaul==
* '''20/03/2022'''
We have rewritten the Profound Decisions [[conduct]] policy. The page on [[conduct]] defines the rules that we expect all participants to follow, [[reporting a conduct problem]] provides information on the process for reporting any issue you have, and [[sanctions]] describes the steps we can take in response. We have also updated the text for the [[must-avoid policy]] to reflect the new changes. There is a description of the key changes and some of the reasoning on our [[Rules_update_2021#Conduct_Overhaul|rules update 2022]] page.

==Sutannir==
* '''17/03/2022'''
We have added a new wiki page devoted to the [[sutannir]], [[archetype|archetypal]] Freeborn priest who focuses on encouraging celebration and festivities. We've also updated [[the Brass Coast religious beliefs]] page with new information to complement the updates to the sutannir page.

==Public Auction==
* '''24/02/2022'''
We've significantly reduced the scale and scope of the public auctions carried out by civil servants at events. From now on, the auction will be restricted to lots of bourse resources, the bourse seats themselves, and a dose of true liao. A more detailed explanation of the changes and reasoning are [[Rules update 2021|presented here]].

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''07/02/2022'''
We've made several edits to our [[sanctioned events]] page, splitting some of the information onto a separate [[Sanctioned event advice]] page aimed at organisers. The main changes are around the definitions of sanctioned event styles, and the rule that all sanctioned events take place in the same chronological order in-character that they do out-of-character.

==Downtime Roleplaying and Coronavirus==
* '''27/01/2022'''
We removed the relaxed rules about online roleplaying during lockdown from the wiki, and edited references to them. The normal rules about roleplaying [[online]] and in [[downtime]] are now back in full effect.

==Wind of Mundane Silence==
* '''26/01/2022'''
We've removed the idea that the [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] can only be used to affect a powerful [[regio]]. The ritual will destroy ''any'' regio it is performed at.

==Fish People==
* '''16/01/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[Merrow]] page under "[[Merrow#What they are not|what they are not]]" to indicate that they are not fish people.

==Emphasising Agramant==
* '''13/01/2022'''
We’ve made a change to the setting we want to let you know about. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as [[Agramant]]. Likewise we're changing the name of the Wendigo's Bargain item to [[Agramant's Bargain]].

We are not changing anything else about the character or tendencies of this eternal, but we are de-emphasising the name Wendigo. Agramant has always been one of Wendigo's names - so we've chosen to emphasise it as the "preferred" name for the eternal on the wiki from now on.

We've done this for several reasons. We've been aware for a while of some concerns about the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo origin of the name], and what that implies for our use of the eternal. We’ve reflected on that feedback and noted that while many of the other eternals make references (at variable subtlety levels) to literary, mythological, or gaming sources, Wendigo was the only one we know of with a name that is directly featured in a real-world belief system. There are no eternals called Hades, Hel, or Balor for example.

For the time being, the name Wendigo will remain one of Agramant’s less-widely used sobriquets. We'd like people to adopt this de-emphasising approach over time rather than treating this as a retcon or sudden break - for example, we know that many characters have written a lot of material about this eternal. It isn't suddenly off brief or wrong to use the original name, and there's no need to reprint IC booklets that use the name Wendigo. The name will remain one of Agramant's less widely used soubriquets. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as Agramant.

==Archiving Wiki Updates==
* '''12/02/2022'''
We archived wiki updates prior to 2019. The page had long since become unwieldy due to the sheer volume of entries, and in several cases the page listed updates that were out of date or superseded by later updates. Wiki updates prior to 2019 are now held on the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace.

==Frequently Asked Questions==
* '''11/01/2022'''
We've made some edits to the [[General FAQ]], and deleted both the ''obscure questions'' and ''new player FAQ'' pages. Most of the questions covered by those pages have been folded into the remaining sections.

==Calls and Blows==
* '''03/11/2021'''
We've added some words to [[Calls]] to make it clear that you can only make one call with each blow you strike.

==Iron Qanat==
* '''26/10/2021'''
We've updated the [[Segura]] page to include the presence of the Iron Qanat; this has also required a note on the [[Construct Iron Qanat II]] Senate motion that the [[great work]] is in Sobral Grasses not Yellow Chase.

==Battle Safety==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've made some edits to streamline the [[Event safety#Battle Safety|Battle Safety]] section on the [[Event safety]] page.

==Heroic Skills==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a line to the [[heroic skills]] overview reiterating that skills such as [[Heroic skills#Cleaving Strike|cleaving strike]], [[Heroic skills#Mortal Blow|mortal blow]] or [[Heroic skills#Mighty Strikedown|mighty strikedown]] cannot be used with [[Weapons_%26_armour#Implements|mage implements]].

==Illegal Orders==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a short section to the [[general]] page about [[army orders]] that are in-character illegal and how they are handled.

==Orders that Break the Rules==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a clarification to the [[army orders]] page about what happens if a general accidentally submits a set of orders that break the rules on war.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''13/10/2021'''
We've made some adjustments to the [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] - [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]]. The main change is to modify the ''effect'' of these rituals to better reflect how they actually operate - that they create powerful but unpredictable secondary effects as well as the more predictable effect on production of resources. We've also expanded their history a little in the ''description'' sections in the wake of the recent [[#Finalized Urizen Update|Urizen update]].

==Finalised Urizen Update==
* '''28/09/2021'''
We've finalised the Urizen update. Mostly this has meant removing the stubs from the pages but we've made a small number of changes to the content based on player feedback.
* The [[sword scholar]] section about [[Sword scholar#Costume|costume]] has been edited to remove unnecessary references and make it clearer what kind of weapons and armour the sword scholars favour.
* We modified some of the wording on the [[Urizen look and feel]] page to hopefully make it clearer
* We updated the [[costume]] page to make the wording around [[costume#Less Appropriate Costume|less appropriate]] and [[Costume#Inappropriate Costume|inappropriate]] costume clearer.
* We clarified the rules on guy ropes in the [[Costume#In-Character Tents|In-Character Tents]] section of the [[costume]] page.
* We modified the details of the [[Some_heavenly_music#Net_of_Gossamer_Chains|Net of Gossamer Chains]] ritual in the [[Some heavenly music]] wind of fortune
* We've moved the content regarding the Urizen Spring Festival to the [[Urizen culture and customs#Spring Flower Festival|culture and customs]] page.

==Privateering and Piracy==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have added a note to the box-out about the privateering action on the [[fleet]] page to remind players that they cannot use this action to commit piracy against people the Empire is not at war with due to the [[Employ_Civil_Service_to_observe_Fleets|Civil Service observers]].

==Armour Coverage==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have updated the armour rules to make clear that a full breastplate that covers the front only is sufficient to be classed as "covering the majority of the torso". This means it will provide extra hits provided your armour also covers one other location.

==Urizen Politics Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
As part of our review of Urizen, we've changed the way the nation appoints [[senator|senators]]. You can read about the changes [[Urizen leadership#Leading a territory|here]] and a discussion of the reasons and in-character explanation for them can be found [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Elections|here]].

==Urizen Culture Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've undertaken an extensive review of the Urizen pages on the wiki. Almost all the pages that form part of the Urizen brief have been updated. You can learn more about the reasoning for this and the way the changes are being handled in the [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Culture|Rules Update]]. A brief summary of the changes follows here.
* We've updated [[Urizen]], [[Urizen people]], [[Urizen culture and customs]], [[Urizen leadership]], [[Urizen economic interests]], [[Urizen religious beliefs]], [[Urizen military concerns]] and [[Urizen magical traditions]]
* We've greatly expanded the [[Urizen history]] page
* We've added significantly to the [[spire]] page and created an [[Urizen groups]] page (which will also serve as a template for similar pages in other nations)
* We've extensively overhauled [[Urizen look and feel]] in line with our new [[costume]] guidelines
* We've added or updated pages for all the Urizen archetypes: [[arbiter]], [[architect]], [[illuminate]], [[mage]], [[seer]], [[sentinel]], [[stargazer]], [[sword scholar]], [[torchbearer]], [[questor]]
* We've added the rituals placed into [[Urizen magical traditions#urizen lore|Urizen lore]]
* We've added a page for the historical figure [[Sulemaine]]
Some tweaks have been made (or are in the process of being made) to various pages that are connected to these changes.

==Costume==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've completed rewritten the [[costume]] page to lay out clearer guidelines for the various ways costume is used at Empire.

==Vallorn Miasma==
* '''20/08/2021'''
Added a line of OOC explanation to the [[Vallorn#Vallorn miasma|vallorn miasma]] section of the [[vallorn]] page to make it explicit how exposure to the miasma works.

==Armour==
*'''2/7/2021'''
We have changed the [[Weapons & armour#Armour|classification and benefits provided by armour]] and introduced the [[Combat skills#Dreadnought|dreadnought]] skill. Please see the [[Rules_update_2021|2021 rules update]] for the explanation and reasoning behind the changes.

==Others Languages==
*'''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to [[languages]] giving guidance on languages other than those currently placed in the setting which you can find [[Languages#Other_Languages|here]].

==Regio at Sanctioned Events==
* '''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to the [[Sanctioned events]] guidance about [[regio]] which you can find [[Sanctioned_events#Regio|here]].

==Lineage Review==
* '''06/05/2021'''
We've completed the first stage of a review of the [[lineage]] pages. This stage has been largely cosmetic, removing bullet points and replacing them with linkable headings on the [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]] and [[naga]] pages.

One more significant change is that we have moved the "demeanour" trappings from the "physical trappings" section of each of the pages to the roleplaying section. This is in line with the requirement that to have lineage you must have a physical trapping.

In the case of merrow, we have also moved [[Merrow#Blue-green Hair|blue-green hair]] from being a minor trapping to being an "[[Merrow#Other_trappings|other trapping]]".

==Distil the Serpent's Stone==
* '''21/04/2021'''
We've corrected the magnitude on the [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] page to match the correct magnitude on the database and in the rituals list. It should have been magnitude 100 rather than magnitude 70.

==Icons and Artistry==
* '''01/03/2021'''
We've removed the "Icons and Artistry" pages for each nation, and rolled that information into the individual Culture and Customs pages. In some cases this has meant moving some information from Look and Feel as well, or altering the layout of the page (for example we've reordered the information about art and history on the [[Wintermark culture and customs]] page to create two new subsections of [[Wintermark culture and customs|Scops]] and [[Wintermark culture and customs|Riddles]] while moving the discussion of music to the new [[Wintermark culture and customs|Icons and Artistry]] section).
* [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Brass Coast]]
* [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Dawn]]
* [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Highguard]]
* [[Imperial_Orcs_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Imperial Orcs]]
* [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The League]]
* [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Marches]]
* [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Navarr]]
* [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Urizen]]
* [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Varushka]]
* [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Wintermark]]

==Erawayugot and Skaftafell==
* '''23/02/2021'''
We've corrected an error with the regions of Otkodov where we'd erroneously labelled both a region of [[Verthandi]] and a region of Nithoggir as "Erawayugot". Bringing the wiki into line with the database, we've changed the name of the Erawayugot in Verthandi to Skaftafell and will update the maps appropriately.

==Military Units, Army Orders, and Enchantments==
* '''17/02/2021'''
We've added a line to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|Military units]] to make it more obvious how their strength interacts with orders given to, and enchantments placed on, the [[Army|armies]] they support.

==Still Waters, Running Deep==
* '''10/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the [[Still Waters, Running Deep]] ritual to be correct as near as we can tell. We have no idea why the magnitude was recorded in error.

==Burning Falcon==
* '''05/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the date of the destruction of the [[Burning Falcon]] army from 247YE to 248YE to remove a conflict with details of the [[campaigns of Emperor Guntherm]]. In-character this correction comes as result of some research performed by [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] scholar Bakar i Erigo (Tomas Marchington).

Wiki Updates

2026-03-26T14:37:50Z

Rosemary: /* Multiple Great Works */

[[Category:Rules]]
==Overview==
This is a list of significant updates to the wiki. We try to keep it as up to date as possible, in the hope it will be a more useful reference than the [[Special:RecentChanges|recent changes]] page which lists every spelling correction and formatting change.

By its nature, this page will be regularly updated, so when you visit the wiki try checking here first. However, please keep in mind this is a manually updated page, so it may be a little behind the actual updates. We tend to make an entry on this page once an update is finalised - so if something has changed and hasn't been mentioned here it's possible that the changes are not yet complete.

In early 2022, we moved all entries on this page prior to 2019 to the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace as detailed in [[#Archiving Wiki Updates|Archiving wiki updates]]. We did this again in 2024, moving updates prior to 2021 to the same page.
===Multiple Great Works===
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've added a note to the [[Great_work#Multiple_Great_Works|great work]] page that reflects the fact that multiple great works in a territory affecting a single resource become more expensive. It's now not possible to commission a great work that affects the same resource until an existing commission is completed, abrogated, or lapses without a specific [[opportunity]].

==Litany of the Labyrinth==
* '''26/03/2026'''
We've explicitly added [[Voice for the dead]] to the effects that the [[Litany of the Labyrinth]] will effect.

==Garden of Teth-Anon==
* '''03/03/2026'''
We have added an [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] to the [[Garden of Teth-Anon]]. This follows the assurances added last year, which can be found in the [[#Assurances|Assurances]] entry.

==Assailing Forts==
* '''04/02/2026'''
In line with our new fortification changes we've edited the [[Highest_discipline#Technique_of_the_Transcendent_Claw|Technique of the Transcendent Claw]], and explained how the ''Onrushing Storm'' order works under the new rules. We've also made edits to the way the [[Army qualities#Siege|Storm the Walls]] and [[Army qualities#Engineer|Dig In]] orders work.

==Fortifications==
* '''03/02/2026'''
We've made some significant changes to the way [[fortification|fortifications]] work in the military campaign. The fortification page has been extensively edited; fortifications are now split into a [[fortification#bastion|bastion]] that represents the physical fortification, and a [[fortification#Garrison|garrison]] that represents the soldiers who defend it. In the process, we've removed the citadel commission. There is a [[Rules update 2026#Fortifications and Citadels|rules update]] that discusses the changes in more detail.

At the same time, we've made changes to several rituals that interact with fortifications. This includes:
* [[Hammers of the Brilliant Shore]] and [[Stalwart Stand on Solid Ground]] explicitly affects only the bastion of a fortification.
* [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]] and [[Ramparts of Ashlar]] provide additional force to the garrison of a fortification
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] and [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affect both the bastion and the garrison, and how their damage is inflicted has been adjusted slightly.
* The ''Wolves of Winter'', a ritual not in Imperial Lore, provides additional strength to the garrison of the enchanted fortification, but ''only'' for purposes of inflicting casualties.
* The four "citadel" rituals - [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], and [[The Basalt Citadel]] have been changed significantly, and each provides different benefits.

Some of the rituals have also had their magnitude adjusted. We're currently still assessing existing fortifications, and outstanding opportunities and will update them as we go.

==Dadford Road Exit Plan==
* '''09/09/2025'''
There are new instructions for when you are [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Departure|exiting Dadford Road campsite at the end of this final event]]. Please make sure you follow the instructions carefully to save time for you and everyone else!

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We've changed the duration of effect for [[Chimes of Annulment]] from one minute to ten minutes. The previous short duration left too little margin for error to make it an appealing option on battles. The new time is designed to be difficult - but more achievable. The recent conjunctions involving the Lock and the Key provide an IC justification for the change if one is needed.

==Varushka Embroidery and Weaving==
* '''08/09/2025'''
We have updated the [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Embroidery_and_Weaving|Varushka culture and customs]] page with an entry on embroidery and weaving, following the completion of the Great Hall of Fabric Arts in Delev.

==Sodality Limitations==
* '''05/09/2025'''
We have changed the [[Imperial_sodality#Limitations|limitations on titles appointed by Imperial sodalities]]. If they elect a national position it must be revocable by the relevant national assembly.

==Walls of Holberg==
* '''23/08/2025'''
We've fixed an error in the database for the location of the Walls of Holberg. The city of Holberg is in the region of Holfried - which is where the walls are canonically - not neighbouring Holmauer (which was once walled, but the walls were long since destroyed by the Druj).

==Detect Magic==
* '''07/08/2025'''
We've changed the Discern Arcane Mark effect of [[detect magic]] to instead be [[Detect_magic#Discern_Mark|Discern Mark]]. We have made clear that it also functions to identify when the casting magician shares a [[Mark of Fellowship]] with the target.
==Rewarding==
* '''20/07/2025'''
We've made some updates to the [[judgement]] of [[Rewarding]]. It explains how the virtue fund relates to wains of mithril, weirwood, and white granite and discusses more ways the judgement can be used.
==Rule of Risk and Reward==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, researchers at the Lyceum have discovered a way to add additional targets to this ritual.
==Sum of the Parts==
* '''16/07/2025'''
As referenced in the '''[[Beat of your drum#Lyceum|Beat of your drum]]''' wind of fortune, it is not necessary when casting [[Sum of the Parts]] for the three additional participants to take damage. Supporting the target with words of encouragement or similar roleplaying is sufficient to power the ritual effect.
==Sun Chamber==
* '''14/07/2025'''
We have added a new sodality - the [[Sun Chamber]] to the game. This is a powerful [[Imperial sodality]] whose membership is restricted to citizens aged 14-18. The aim is to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. The new sodality exists to help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire and encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways.

==Secrets of the Empty Heart==
* '''25/06/2025'''
We've updated the ritual [[Secrets of the Empty Heart]] to make it explicit that you can use the special ability granted by the [[enchantment]] even if you are under the effect of [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]], [[Combat#Dying|dying]], or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]]. This is a special case where an active ability can be used when in a state where it would normally not be possible.
==Navarr Wayhouse==
* '''21/06/2025'''
We have created a new page that contains all the rules for a [[Navarr wayhouse]] [[commission]]. Most of the details are based on the information we provided in the original wind of fortune, but where we have made some changes, these new rules will not affect any motions passed at the Spring Equinox or earlier. The [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Wayhouse_in_Ossium|wayhouse in Ossium]] is fine to be built with [[mithril]] and produce [[Game_items#Mana_Crystals|mana crystals]]. Any new wayhouses will all have to follow the new rules and can only be built using a Senate motion or an Imperial title with the power to commission a wayhouse.

We've stubbed the new page for the next few days, while we finalise any changes for new wayhouses. We'll remove the stub once that process is complete.

==Historical Researchers==
* '''09/06/2025'''
We've added an [[Historical_research#Ser_Eddard_d'Argenteux|additional researcher]] to the list of senior historical researchers. This is to cover historical research into topics for which research into songs, stories, legends, and myth might be the most appropriate avenue of inquiry.

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''4/06/2025'''
We've updated the upkeep for a [[college of magic]] and for a [[runeforge]], and introduced a new rule on the maximum number of such facilities that the Empire can support. The old rules for upkeep were somewhat incomprehensible, the new rules are much easier to understand and make it much easier for us to run plot around these important commissions. There is more detail on the update on the [[Rules_update_2025#Colleges_and_Runeforges|rules update wiki page]] explaining the changes, the impacts and the reasoning for them.

==Senate==
* '''2/06/2025'''
We've updated several pages on the running of Senate. We've extended the description of [[Senate_session#Expert_Witness|expert witnesses]] to match how it is working in practice and included a copy of the Civil Service's guidance for expert witnesses. As part of this, there is a new rule that senators [[Senator#Limitations|can't act as expert witnesses]] themselves.

We also updated the page on [[Senate_session#Sunday_session |Senate sessions]], introducing stricter plans on Sunday to help the session finish promptly.

==Ritual Theory==
* '''29/05/2025'''
We've updated the [[ritual theory]] page. It was already huge, so we've split some of the content up into logical chunks on new pages, creating a page for the [[limits of magic]] as well as one on the [[laws of magic]]. We've significantly overhauled the content on [[eternals and rituals]] and created a new page for that also - there is a lot of additional information there now for players whose characters are involved with ritual magic.

We've also added a page on [[war magic]] which discusses the possibilities and potential of using the realms to enchant armies, military units and fleets. This page reflects the changes we've made earlier this year, but brings a lot of the key information together, so that it is one place.

==Herbal==
* '''16/05/2025'''
We've added the details for a [[Potion#Herbal|herbal]]; something similar to a [[Magic_items#Schema|schema]], but for one or more potions. The entry shows how they are made, how they can be added to Imperial lore, and how they can be destroyed.

==Towerjacks==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've edited the ''dig in'' order of the [[Army qualities#Engineer|engineer]] quality to exclude the mustering of [[Army|armies]] and [[navy|navies]] from their ability to speed up a [[commission]].

==New Characters and Conquered Territories==
* '''14/05/2025'''
We've updated the system so that it is no longer possible for players to create new characters in territories that have been completely conquered - that is, territories which are receiving the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] penalty. This is partly done to ensure new players unfamiliar with the state of the campaign do not make the mistake of starting in a territory where they will face significant additional challenges.

==Citadels==
* '''13/05/2025'''
We've added a page for citadels, the new commission type from the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#All_Along_the_Watchtower|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune. (Citadels have since been replaced with new rules for fortifications).

==Vines and Symbols==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've added a note to the [[Vine#Costume|costume]] section of the Vine page to make clear that it is not appropriate to use a square red diamond on its own as part of costume, to avoid accidentally breaching the Geneva Convention by using a symbol of the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Red_Cross_and_Red_Crescent_Movement International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement].

==Arcane Projections==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've made a change to the [[Arcane_projection#Preparing_an_Arcane_Projection|deadline for submission]] of [[arcane projection|arcane projections]]. Rather than the late booking deadline, the deadline for the Spring Equinox will be the early booking deadline, and after that the deadline will permanently shift to the close of downtime. You can read more about it in the [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Arcane_Projections|Spring Equinox interlude]].

==Colleges and Runeforges==
* '''03/05/2025'''
We've changed the email address for players who run a [[college of magic]] or [[runeforge]] to send their submissions to. Rather than rules, they should now be sent to {{plot}}. The deadline for submissions (the end of downtime) remains unchanged.

==Glossary==
* '''11/04/2025'''
We have added a [[glossary]] page to the wiki with some more information on common terms used in Empire and LRP as a whole. We expect this to be updated on a semi-regular basis as more terms come to light. Any queries or suggestions can be sent to [mailto:wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk wiki@profounddecisions.co.uk].

==Dreamcatchers==
* '''07/04/2025'''
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreamcatcher Dreamcatchers] will be inappropriate for use in [[costume]] at Empire from event three this year onwards. We want to avoid using items that are culturally sacred in real life because it is more difficult to ignore their real world significance and we don't want to disrespect people's beliefs. We've managed to speak to some of the players affected already, and everyone has responded very positively, but we realise we haven't been able to speak to everyone about this change - hence the reason for two events' grace to allow players to make any changes needed to their costume.

==League Look and Feel==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have rewritten [[the League look and feel]] to move beyond from the more restrictive costume options presented by the original brief. We do want the League to have a really clear visual look that defines the nation, but we want to ensure that it includes garments that everyone can feel confident wearing.

==Combat==
* '''07/04/2025'''
We have update the combat rules for Empire to say that head hits will not be allowed at any events in 2025. We are trialling the new rules, so please see the [[Rules_update_2025#Combat|rules update page]] for more details.

==Alignment==
* '''28/03/2025'''
We've added a fourth option to the [[declaration]] of [[alignment]], that of [[alignment#Acceptance|Acceptance]], as a result of opportunities created by plot over the last year or so. This allows the Conclave to accept or refuse an offer from an eternal, in a manner that the Archmage of the appropriate realm can also use.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''25/03/2025'''
We've made several changes to rituals that [[enchantment|enchant]] an [[Army|Imperial army]]. Almost every army enchantment ritual has changed in some fashion. It is no longer possible to change the [[Army qualities|quality]] of an army with magic, and the resonant effects for each realm have been much more clearly defined. You can find out more about these changes in the accompanying [[rules update]].
* [[Swords in the Noonday Sun]] ([[Urizen lore]]; Summer 80): now fills soldiers with supernatural prowess, increasing the strength of an army by the equivalent of 1000 extra warriors. It's also gained an option for additional targets. The roleplaying associated with it has also changed, meaning it is no longer considered a ritual that uses savagery to create its effect.
* [[Find the Best Path]] (Autumn 80): Now grants a campaign army the ability to move through an additional territory, rather than granting the [[Army qualities#Fast|fast]] quality. The magnitude has been lowered to 80, and an option to include additional targets has been added.
* [[Quickening Cold Meat]] (Winter 120): We've reduced the magnitude of the ritual and been significantly clearer about the unpredictable dangers associated with the ritual.
* [[Machines of Destruction]] (Autumn 135): No longer offered by [[Estavus]] and removed from the [[Mystic scrolls of Estavus]] page.
* [[Loosen the Shackles]] ([[Urizen lore]]) Winter 120): now gives an enchanted army the equivalent of 4,000 extra soldiers but only for purposes of inflicting casualties on an enemy. The magnitude has increased to 120. It still draws on the forbidden power of [[Agramant]].
* [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] (Winter 80): The effects of the ritual have been increased. In addition to making the army more resistant to effects related to poison and venom, it also reduces damage suffered from other means.
* [[Bound by Common Cause]] (Autumn 80): has had its effect completely redesigned and now reduces the upkeep of an army while providing potential narrative bonuses.
* [[Fire on the Water]] and [[Eyes of the Hills]] cannot currently be cast; we are still deciding how to deal with them.

The change has also affected some non-enchantment rituals.
* [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] (Day 14): now provides information about enchantments on armies and fortifications in the territory scried.
* [[Eye of the High Places]] (Day 14): now provides information about large-scale effects on a territory.
* [[Dreams in the Witch House]] (Night 14): has been reworked to make it better reflect the way the ritual had evolved in play and to widen the kind of information it provides. The magnitude has increased to 14, bringing it into line with similar divinations.

==Fleet Enchantments==
* '''24/03/2025'''
In conjunction with our [[#Military Unit Enchantments|changes to military units]], we've also updated the way a [[fleet]] acts in [[downtime]]. As with military units, we've streamlined the actions that can be taken by a fleet captain, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any fleet captain can take, and defined others more closely. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update. The magnitudes of rituals have not changed, nor has the amount of benefit they provide; we've just defined what action that benefit applies to more clearly.

Rituals affected include [[Blood and Salt]] (supports raiding), [[Winds of Fortune]] (supports trading), [[The Lure of Distant Shores]] (supports trading), [[Sular's Promise]] (supports trading), [[Golden Voyage]] (supports questing), [[Muffled Oar]] (supports scouting), and [[Piranhas Devour the Kraken]] (supports campaigning). The ritual ''Shroud of Rolling Fog'', which is not in Imperial lore, has likewise been adjusted to support a single category of fleet action.

We've also added a new ritual to Imperial Lore: [[Wolves of the Hungry Sea]] (Winter 12) that is used to support guarding actions.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Imperial Sodalities==
* '''18/03/2025'''
We've made several significant changes to the procedures and benefits of creating an [[Imperial sodality]]. Key among them is the idea that a truly Imperial sodality is capable of wielding legal powers and appointing titles; that anyone can become a voting member of an Imperial sodality simply by receiving a ritual mark; that one can only be a voting member of a single Imperial sodality; and that their creation and upkeep are now much more clearly defined. This has also involved an addition to the powers of [[The Throne#The Great Councils|the Throne]], [[Powers of the Imperial Senate#Imperial Sodalities|Powers of the Imperial Senate]], and [[New_Imperial_titles#Well_Worn_Paths|New Imperial titles]]. There's also a new ritual in Imperial Lore - [[Mark of Fellowship]] - that supports membership of an Imperial Sodality.

We've also written a [[Rules update 2025#Imperial Sodalities|Rules Update]] discussing the changes.

==Runa's Gift==
* '''14/03/2025'''
We have added a page for [[Runa's Gift]] to the wiki and the recipe list is now available for [[Surgical_skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] to learn. These potions come as a result of the [[Yerende]] joining the [[Imperial Orcs]] and use [[realmsroot]]. Anyone who has the necessary ingredients in their inventory and has learned the recipe list can email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] before the '''1<sup>st</sup> of April''' to mix potions from this recipe list before the event.

==Military Unit Enchantments==
* '''14/03/2025 '''
We've overhauled the way [[military unit|military units]] act in [[downtime]]. The focus has been on streamlining the actions that can be taken by a player with that resource, and how they interact with [[enchantment]] rituals. We've introduced several new actions that any military unit can take (such as mercenary work or seeking glory) as well as a small number of adventures available to specific nations or archetypes. These changes will take effect in the downtime following the Winter Solstice.

The main change to rituals has been to better define which action each ritual supports, and to remove rituals that supported multiple actions. Some magnitudes have shifted up or down as well. One of our goals has been to ensure that each ritual affects only one kind of action, and where possible to strengthen the themes of the individual realms as part of a wider update.

Rituals affected include [[Merciless Wrath of the Reaver]] (supports raiding), [[Raise the Standard of War]] (supports campaigning), [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]] (supports campaigning and has also gained an [[#Assurances|assurance]]), [[Shroud of Mist and Shadow]] (supports raiding, magnitude lowered), [[Clad in Golden Raiment]] (supports campaigning and the magnitude has increased to 6), [[Sharp Eyes of the Corsair]] (supports scouting), [[Lions of Phoenix Reach]] (supports campaigning), [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]] (supports campaigning), and [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] (supports scouting).

As well as rituals in Imperial Lore, there have also been changes to these [[Urizen lore]] rituals: [[Aspect of the Mountain]], [[Peregrine and Ichimos]], and [[Raise the Dragonsworn Cohort]] (all now explicitly support the guarding action), [[Unleash the Beasts Within]] (the magnitude has increased to 16, and the enchantment now supports the campaigning action).

These changes have also affected a few rituals that are not in either Imperial lore or Urizen lore. Specifically, [[Accoutrements of War]] (supports campaigning, no longer provides green iron), and ''Weaver at the Web'' (supports scouting actions).

We've also introduced a new ritual, [[Feast of Heroes]], a [[Summer magic]] enchantment that supports military units taking a [[Military unit#Questing|questing]] action.

As always, if your character has mastered a ritual that has changed you can email [mailto:admin@profounddecisions.co.uk admin@profounddecisions.co.uk] and we'll free up the mastered ritual slot for you.

==Assurances ==
* '''13/03/2025'''
* '''Updated 26/03/2025'''
We have added [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurances]] and [[eternal|eternals]] to the pages of a number of rituals. This is a result of the [[Unfettered Mind]] having been instructed to [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Concord_:_Study_Rituals|investigate]] the ritual [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]] by the Imperial Conclave, and the continuation of the order's efforts. Any member of the order can roleplay that they were part of this research; appropriate stories might involve tracking across the Empire, careful discussion with scholars, or negotiations with isolated covens for snippets of information.
{{div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Balanced Scales of Lann]]
*[[Carve the Crystal Guardian]]
*[[Challenge the Iron Duke]]
*[[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]]
*[[Conclave of Trees and Shadow‎‎]]
*[[Crystalline Focus of Aesh]]
*[[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]
*[[Ephisis' Scale]]
*[[Fire in the Blood]]
*[[Forge the Wooden Fastness]]
*[[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]]
*[[Gift of Knowledge]]
*[[Kimus' Glaring Eye]]
*[[Lions of Phoenix Reach]]
*[[Prowess of the Golden Magician]]
*[[Pallid Flesh of the Dead King]]
*[[Quickening Cold Meat]]
*[[Sift the Dreamscape's Sands]]
*[[Sorin's Chastising Touch]]
*[[Sorin's Rite of Agony]]
*[[Swim Leviathan's Depth]]
*[[The Basalt Citadel]]
*[[Tribute to the Thrice-Cursed Court]]
*[[Whispering Shadow Courtiers]]</div>

==Realms and their Inhabitants==
* '''25/01/2025'''
We've done an overhaul of the [[realm]] and [[eternal]] pages adding examples and further details about each of the realms and the powers and restrictions of eternals. We have also added the [[Inhabitants of the realms]] page which goes into detail about the various creatures that live in each of the realms.

==Links on the Tactical Map==
* '''29/12/2024'''
We've added links to each territory - and some important areas like the Semmerlak or the Bay of Catazar - to the [[Map - Coloured Territories|coloured territories]] map page. It is now possible to click on an area of the map to be taken to the specific territory's page.

==Names of the Chain==
* '''05/12/2024'''
We've swapped the names of star #1 and star #5 on [[the Chain]]. The writer had confused his left and right and got the anchor at the wrong end of the constellation.

==Arcane Gambit and Ilium==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've updated [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] and the [[Ilium#Removing_a_Permanent_Effect|ilium]] page to detail how an [[enchantment]] that has been made permanent with [[ilium]] can be moved by that Night ritual. The magnitude required is based on the total amount of ilium that could/should have been used to make the enchantment permanent without any [[opportunity]] being taken into account.

==Throne Judgement==
* '''15/10/2024'''
We've added a note to [[the Throne]], providing them explicitly with the ability to raise a [[judgement]] [[The Throne#Member of the Assembly of Nine|in the Assembly of Nine only]] in the event they do not control a [[congregation]].

==Assignment==
* '''10/09/2024'''
We have updated the power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assignment]] to set down that a motion to assign a territory is always raised as an administrative motion by the Speaker for the Senate.

==Veto==
* '''31/08//2024'''
We have updated [[veto]] to remove the ambiguity about when a veto held over from the previous event ends. We have put a fixed end point, 10pm on Saturday night. The [[Rules_update_2024#Veto|rules update]] page contains the OOC reasoning and the IC justification for this edit.

==Proxies and Resigning==
* '''22/08/2024'''
We have added an entry to the [[Proxy#Restrictions|restrictions]] of what a proxy can do. It is not possible for a proxy to resign on behalf of the title holder as that is not a power of a specific Imperial title.

==Maps of Otkodov==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have added a note that was missing to the [[Otkodov]] page making clear that the Empire only has a strategic map of [[Verthandi]]. When the first spy network was created the entirety of Otkodov was mapped in error. To gain access to strategic maps of the other territories of the Thule additional [[spy network|spy networks]] would need to be constructed and [[Military_unit#Scout_an_Area|supported]] in the normal fashion.

==Senate Voting==
* '''19/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[Senate motion]] page to remove an option for secret voting. We've removed it because it hadn't been used in years if ever, because supporting it logistically would have been a massive hassle, but mostly because it runs contrary to the major design elements of Empire around the operation of politics within the game.

==Audio recordings==
* '''09/08/2024'''
We have updated the [[photography]] rules to remove the option to make audio recordings at events. On further consideration we were convinced that audio recording was much closer to filming and should follow the same rules and guidelines. As a general rule of thumb we want to minimise intrusion: we permit people to take photographs, but that is the limit.

==Black Plateau Template==
* '''24/07/2024'''
We have changed the formatting for the Black Plateau template that we use to increase readability and in an attempt to avoid eyestrain. It has changed from black text on a grey background to white text on a black background.

==Fleet Great Work Restrictions==
* '''13/07/2024'''
We've added a note to the [[Great work]] page making clear that a great work that supports [[fleet|fleets]] can only be built in a region with the coastal [[Region qualities|quality]].

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''25/06/2024'''
We've added a line to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#OOC_Elements|OOC elements]] of [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] to add a little clarity to what happens if you want to summon the spirit of a dead NPC.

==Sung and their Counsel==
* '''22/06/2024'''
We've made a couple of tiny changes to the [[Sung]] page, to provide more context for the kind of mysteries that the eternal encourages you to probe and look into and those mysteries she prefers to stay hidden. We've coupled this with a set of updates to the main ritual that draws on Sung's power [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]].

We've decided to change the way we respond to queries to Sung to try and provide more useful information going forwards. We want to keep some of the enigmatic quality of the responses, which some of those players casting the ritual currently enjoy - but we want to make it easier to get more useful insight, guidance and wisdom from the ritual.

To help us do that we've changed the way we'll be responding to the ritual going forwards. We created a set of guidelines for the style of responses that we'll give to the different kinds of questions we've been getting up to now. Hopefully this means that where we can provide some useful information or clues to players about a plot we'll be able to continue to do that, but where Sung can't or won't give an answer we'll be able to respond in a way that makes clear why that is the case.

The goal with these changes is to make the ritual more useful to players but also make it easier for us to produce the responses. We want to emphasize the roleplaying interaction with Sung - but allow the eternal more freedom to give out more useful information when it exists.
==Martial Titles==
* '''10/06/2024'''
We have added [[Captain of the Throne Guard]] to the list of martial titles because of their duties to defend the Throne. There is no requirement to pick a skilled fighter for the role - it has many other duties besides fighting - but it is acceptable for the Throne to include such considerations when picking who they want for the Throne Guard.

==Savagery and Fire on the Water==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated the declaration of [[interdiction]] from [[385YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Interdiction_%3A_Savagery_of_Armies|Autumn Equinox 385YE]] to include the ritual [[Fire on the Water]] and added a note to the page for the ritual. This was missed at the time as being a ritual that was covered by the interdiction.

==Endorsement==
* '''05/06/2024'''
We have updated [[endorsement]] to make clear that you cannot use it to permit a sorcerer to carry out an act of magic that is illegal for them to do. Endorsement cannot be used to undermine Conclave itself, so it Conclave has declared someone a sorcerer, it's not possible to supersede that with endorsement.

==Guiding an Order==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We have formalised how [[Concord#Guiding_an_Order|guiding an order]] using a Declaration of [[Concord]] works. It now requires 20 mana crystals directly from the [[Conclave_vault#The_Font|Font]] and can only be used as a result of an opportunity, unless specified otherwise. It continues to require the use of one of the order's two declarations.

==Territory Curses==
* '''03/06/2024'''
We've made several changes to ritual curses that work on the [[territory]] level. All such curses now explicitly have the chance to have unexpected effects depending on where and when they are cast. We've added a section to the [[curse]] page detailing this. There have also been other changes made to several specific curses.
* [[Icy Maw Devours the Spark of Essence]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a fixed penalty on mana sites. We also removed the lethargy and depression [[roleplaying effect]] element.
* [[Naeve's Twisting Blight]] has increased in magnitude to 30 (previously 15), and now inflicts a set 72 ring penalty on a farm rather than the previous 50% penalty.
* [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] places a 2 rank penalty on fleets, and no longer harms navies moving through the target territory.
* [[Thunderous Deluge]] reduces resource production by two ranks rather than a percentage.
* [[Rivers of Life]] and [[Rivers Run Red]] have remained the same but we've added boxes discussing some of the unique peculiarities of the rituals.
* [[Winter's Ghosts]] affects all resources save [[congregation|congregations]], but inflicts a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] does not harm armies that move through the territory. Its effects apply to mines and forests as well as farms, and inflict a fixed amount of damage to production rather than a percentage.
* [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]] requires a region with the forest quality (it no longer works on marshes). It no longer affects armies passing through the territory, and reduces production of all personal resources in the territory except fleets.
* [[The Flower is Withered on the Stalk]] remains unchanged but we added a boxout laying out more clearly the limitations of the curse.

==Pronunciation Guide==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have deleted the pronunciation guide page from the wiki. Anyone who has a query on how we pronounce something is welcome to email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk] to ask.

==Fire Safety==
* '''29/05/2024'''
We have updated the [[fire safety]] page with updated rules for the limited use of small pyrotechnics at events.

==Dedication==
* '''28/05/2024'''
We've made a minor edit to the [[Dedication#Dreams|dreams]] section of the [[dedication]] skill to replace "priest of the Way" with "a priest who is not dedicated to a specific virtue". The former wording was a holdover from the period where dedication was linked to the assembly a priest was part of. The new wording makes in explicit that the ability to pick any Virtue for oracular dreams is for priests that are not dedicated.

==Senatorial Elections==
* '''23/05/2024'''
We have updated [[Dawn leadership]] to add confirmation that nobles must be physically present in the Glory Square unless there are any accessibility issues that make that difficult. In that case our team will make whatever accommodations are needed to support a player.

We've updated [[Wintermark_political_leadership|Wintermark leadership]] to change the duration of the election from one hour to half an hour. This is based on feedback that candidates were unduly having to wait around much longer than the election practically needed.

We've updated the [[Varushka leadership]] to better describe how it works in practice and to make clear that the right of witness does apply to the part of the meeting dedicated to picking the senator.

We've updated the [[League leadership]] to remove the requirement not to exchange bonds before the start of the election. This was unenforceable in practice and needlessly restrictive. Empire is meant to be a deeply political game and we'd like players to have the first half of the summit to engage in as much roleplaying as they want over the exchange of voting bonds.

==Warding Rituals==
* '''14/04/2024'''
We have added an OOC note to the rituals that ward an area to make clear that you must inform a ref about it before you pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] and get the props you are planning on using checked. The affected rituals are :
* [[Hold Back Frozen Hunger]]
* [[Retreat to the White Caves]]
* [[There Is No Welcome Here]]
* [[Wardens of the Black Waste]]

==Imperial Orcs==
* '''11/04/2024'''
We've made extensive updates to the [[Imperial Orcs]] pages, primarily related to the introduction of [[sept|septs]]. This also touches on a number of other elements including the introduction of a new group archetype (the coterie) and changes to the way ancestors work. Many pages now have additional information on them, but the biggest changes are:
* Addition of the six septs: [[Ethengraw]], [[Illarawm]], [[Sannite]], [[Sunstorm]], [[Tamazi]], and [[Yerende]]
* Revision of the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] page
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs#Septs|septs]] to the [[Imperial Orcs culture and customs]] page.
* Addition of [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions#Spiritweaving|Spiritweaving]] to the [[Imperial Orcs magical traditions]] page.
* We've removed the Imperial Orcs lineage and species page as the information on that page was now redundant.
New characters can select their sept during character creation. Existing characters can change their sept by emailing [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot@profounddecisions.co.uk]. You can also change sept during play by engaging in the [[Imperial Orcs religious beliefs#The Living Bridge|appropriate ceremony]] then going to GOD.
==League Orcs==
* '''08/04/2024'''
We have updated [[the League]] brief to incorporate new material relevant to playing an [[orc]] in [[the League]], reflecting current developments. It is now possible for players creating a new character in the League to choose whether they are playing an orc or a human.

As part of the change we've made a number of updates to several League pages:
* [[The League|Introduction]]
* [[The League people|The people]]
* [[The League culture and customs|Culture and customs]]
* [[The League look and feel|Look and feel]]
* [[The League history|History]]
* [[The League religious beliefs|Religious beliefs]]
* [[The League magical traditions|Magical traditions]]

==Cold Sun==
* '''04/03/2024'''
We've added a new wiki page for [[Cold Sun]], the cruelly impassive eternal of the Day realm whose forces are currently threatening a number of locations in the Empire. While this is mostly a campaign update, we've included it here because we have taken the winter to tinker with some of the stats of the heralds involved to try and make them more interesting and engaging to fight against, so there are some rules changes. Also, in the past there has been some confusion over the abilities of the heralds of Cold Sun. They are very much not [[Calls#Monstrous_Creatures|monstrous creatures]] so they take the effects of all calls that hit them legitimately, including the effects of [[weakness]]. There is no indication that looting heralds of Cold Sun will result in any kind of curse, nor are they able to reflect back calls. There was some confusion early on due to the way that the brief was delivered before the first block of skirmishes at E3 2023. We have taken all steps possible to try to ensure that this doesn't happen again. Part of the reason for us presenting this information here as clearly as possible is to ensure that those going on skirmishes can have some idea of what they might be up against.

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''21/02/2024'''
We've made some changes to the language around sanctioned events. Previously, "sanctioned event" included both any event taking place in the continuity of the Empire campaign world, and specifically events containing plot elements. We've explicitly renamed the kind of event with plot, NPCs, and combat as a "plot event", leaving "sanctioned event" to refer to all events not run by Profound Decisions that are considered part in the Empire campaign.

We've also added a section of additional guidance on [[Sanctioned_event_advice#Communication_Magic|Communication Magic]] at sanctioned events. While it can't be used to speak to off-stage NPCs in the wider world, it is possible for the creators of a plot event to use certain types of communication magic within the context of their plot.
==Tisanes of the Labyrinth==
* '''17/02/2024'''
We've changed [[Usher's Decoction]] and [[Tisanes of the Labyrinth#Waywalker's Suffusion|Waywalker's Suffusion]] to be [[Potion#Tonics|tonics]]. This means their effects cannot be stacked with each other.

==Aspect magic==
* '''16/02/2024'''
We've changed the name of the magical tradition formerly known as ''totem magic'' to [[aspect magic]] as it more accurately reflects the function of that tradition. We have also taken the opportunity to change the term for calling on aspects of mundane animals in magic to [[Aspect_magic#Beast_Magic|beast magic]] rather than ''spirit animals''.

==Liao Ceremony Cooperation==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've edited the [[Religious skills#Cooperation|cooperation]] section on the [[religious skills]] page to make it clear that it is [[dedication]] and not membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|virtue assembly]] that determines who a character can perform a ''virtue ceremony'' in cooperation with. Now that it is possible for a character to be dedicated to one virtue, but a member of a different Virtue assembly through the use of the preaching [[Congregation#Downtime options|downtime option]], the original wording was open to misinterpretation.

==Synod Votes and Lay Members==
* '''14/02/2024'''
We've removed the reference to "appropriate virtue assembly" from the [[Sinecure#Synod_Votes|Sinecure]] page, with regard to people who are not members of the [[Synod]] gaining votes. Since the introduction of [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] as the method for determining Virtue assembly membership, there is no way for someone without a [[congregation]] to be part of a Virtue assembly, and someone with a congregation is already a member of the Synod.

==Veto==
* '''14/02/2024'''
On the [[Senate]] page, we've changed the word "exercised" for "submitted" and added a line making it clear the usual [[Veto#Timing|timing]] rules apply in the event the veto is being submitted following the Senate session on Sunday.

==Medium Armour==
* '''17/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to the names of certain [[:Category:Medium Armour|medium armour]] to avoid confusion since the [[Rules_update_2022#Armour|change]] to what counts as different types of armour. This has had no effect on the mechanical effect of the magic items.<br>

''Mithril Shirt'' is now [[Bloodamber Hauberk]]<br>
''Tombsteel Guardian'' is now [[Tombshroud Guardian]]<br>
''Wardensweave Scale'' is now [[Wardensweave]]<br>
''Runemail'' is now [[Runebound Ward]]<br>
''Splint Mail'' is now [[Cerulean Protector]]<br>
''Mediator's Mail'' is now [[Scrivener's Guard]]

In addition we have also changed ''Oathkeeper'' to [[Vowkeeper]] and ''Alderman's Edge'' to [[Alder's Edge]]

==Secrets of Skilful Artifice==
* '''11/01/2024'''
We've made some changes to [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]]. The donor [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisan]] now chooses what skill to share via the ritual, and may choose to share nothing. This partly resolves some inconsistencies with how the knowledge the ritual shares was determined, and better defines how it works with Runesmith's Law and similar effects.

==Runesmith's Law==
* '''3/1/2023'''
We've updated both [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmith's Law]] and [[Secrets of Skilful Artifice]] to make it clear that using magic to temporarily share knowledge of how to make a unique Wintermark magic item triggers the geas not to share this knowledge. The result is that the artisan donating the knowledge to someone outside their nation permanently loses access to Runesmith's Law.

==Farms and Businesses==
* '''14/12/2023'''
We've added a line to both [[Farm#Production|farm]] and [[Business#Production|busniess]] resources to make it clearer that the income they provide represents disposable income rather than being the sum total of their seasonal production. Expenses, lifestyle, and taxes all exist below the abstraction layer.
==Regalia==
* '''11/12/2023'''
We have added a section on the [[New Imperial titles]] page which explains how the Imperial Senate can add [[New_Imperial_titles#Regalia|regalia]] to a title.
==Ossium Opportunity==
* '''31/08/2023'''
We've made a slight alteration to the [[Culling_the_threat#Dripping_Echoes|Culling the threat]] wind of fortune in the section about creating a permanent magical fortress in the Drownbark Forest. We've made it clear that the "no upkeep" element of the permanent magical fortress is part of the [[opportunity]], and not a standard part of making a magical fortress permanent. The precise mechanics of creating a permanent magical fortress would be determined on case by case basis.
==Appraisal==
* '''08/08/2023'''
Now the [[Senate]] can perform ''two'' [[appraisal|appraisals]] each season, we've added [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|a note]] to the power as to how the Imperial Auditor will proceed if both name the same researcher.
==Recognition==
* '''25/07/2023'''
We have added a new use for the judgement of [[Recognition]]; allowing the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] to recognise someone as an explicitly false exemplar or paragon. A judgement of recognition used in this way can only be raised in the General Assembly and always requires a greater majority to pass.

==Spiral Strategy==
* '''24/07/2023'''
The [[Spiral]] page has been tweaked slightly, naming the [[Spiral#The_Passes|Apulian Way]] as the connection between the territory and the Grendel nation, and adding a [[Spiral#Strategic_Considerations|Strategic Considerations]] section that summarises the geographical complications in the territory. Apart from naming the southern pass, nothing has actually changed we've just made it more explicit.

==Imperial Inquisitor==
* '''0707/2023'''
We've made a slight amendment to the responsibilities of the Imperial Inquisitor to make clear that they are part of the ''inquisitorial court''.

==Thief's Arcane Gambit==
* '''04/07/2023'''
We've added a line to [[Thief's Arcane Gambit]] that specifies that the "legitimate target" for the ritual is also affected by any specific restrictions around willingness in the original enchantment. If the original enchantment can only be used on a willing target, it can only be moved to a willing target.

==Inspirational Locations==
* '''02/07/2023'''
We have replaced the old rules for inspirational tombs with some new rules for [[inspirational location|inspirational locations]]. The new rules cover using true liao to create inspirational memorials for exemplars and paragons as well as using it to consecrate a sacred sites like the Kallavesa Marshes. The new rules provide a detailed framework that lays out how characters do this - what steps are needed in-character and what the outcome will be at each stage. We've provided more explanation for the changes and why we've made them in the [[rules update 2023]] page.

==Sentinel Gate==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We have removed references to getting a traumatic wound if you travel back too late through the sentinel gate. Implementation of this rule was always spotty at best and it violated some of our core design principles in the way it confused in-character and out-of-character objectives. We don't want players to return through the gate late, because it plays havoc with the schedule that everyone, players and ourselves, are relying on. Most participants implicitly appreciate this and make the best effort possible to return to Anvil before the gate begins to close. Traumatic wounds are intended to lead to further roleplaying for the participants who receive them, they are not meant to punish participants for taking the wrong action. Empire tries as hard as possible to avoid mixing in-character and out-of-character consequences in that way.

==FIRST AID==
* '''01/07/2023'''
We've changed the MAN DOWN call to [[Calls#FIRST_AID|FIRST AID]]. We've made this change for two reasons, one is that we and many of our players are no longer comfortable with such a clearly gendered call. The other reason is that over the years, a few players have developed a bad habit of using the call in-character when someone gets wounded. We've replaced the call with FIRST AID - a clear call asking for the first aid team to provide assistance.

We understand that many of participants will continue to use MAN DOWN in emergency situations, precisely because it is the instinctive thing to shout in an emergency. That is absolutely fine, and everyone should treat the call ''exactly'' as if they had called FIRST AID. We expect it to take some years to drop the old call in favour of the new one and we would much rather participants shouted either call quickly than pause to think. The hobby has been using the man down call for decades and we do not want to compromise safety while we transition away from its use at Empire.

==Searching==
* '''29/06/2023'''
We have removed the option in the rules to carry out a real search when searching a character. Previously it was possible to do a real search, but only if both parties agreed. We've removed this option as it's not compatible with the wider system where we discourage this kind of physical contact.

==Art of the Deal==
* '''22/06/2023'''
We've changed the name of the Art of the Deal ritual to [[Winds of Fortune]]. Art of the Deal is still an alternate name for the ritual, but the main entry and all references on magic items use the new name.

==Golden Ramparts==
* '''21/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Golden Ramparts]] with an [[Golden Ramparts#Assurance|assurance]], related to the Rod and Shield, that has been helpfully uncovered by a scholar at the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun.

==Druj Miasma==
* '''16/06/2023'''
We've updated the [[Druj miasma]] page, especially with reference to miasma pillars, so that it is less focused on information gained after the liberation of Reikos.

==Cruelty==
* '''14/06/2023'''
Building on the commentary we added to the [[Iron Helms]] army page [[Iron_Helms#Composition|on cruelty]], we added the word "needless" to the [[Varushka#What the Varushkans are not|what the Varushkans are not]] section on the [[Varushka]] page.

==Magic Quality==
* '''04/06/2023'''
We've explicitly added a note that the ritual targeting ability of an army with the [[Army_qualities#Magic|magic quality]] can also target a region or fortification within a territory.

==Haunted Quality==
* '''03/06/2023'''
We've decided to remove the ''Haunted'' [[army qualities|army quality]]. There are no armies with this quality, and after extensive discussion we don't believe we would ever allow any future army to have it, either as a quality or an enchantment.

==Farm Diversification==
* '''31/05/2023'''
Updated the [[Farm#Diversification|diversification]] section on the [[farm]] page to make it clearer that "herb" means one of the standard five magical herbs. Any opportunity that grants "herbs" will always mean the herbs gathered from a standard [[herb garden]] unless it explicitly says otherwise.

==Wolves of Winter==
* '''26/05/2023'''
The magnitude of the ritual ''Wolves of Winter'' has been increased in line with our recent changes to rituals that affect the downtime campaign. The ritual is not in Imperial lore, but the database has been adjusted to reflect this change.

==Whispers through the Black Gate==
* '''20/05/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Whispers_through_the_Black_Gate#Option|special liao option]] on the [[Whispers through the Black Gate]] ritual to make it explicit that the option is not available to orc casters.

==Throne Appointment==
* '''17/05/2023'''
We've edited the part of the [[The_Throne#Appointment|Throne appointment]] that talks about changing support around and when the election ends inconclusively. The previous wording was a little misleading.

==Navarr Warlocks==
* '''16/05/2023'''
We've changed the word "warlock" on the [[Navarr]] page. The word was very misleading and intended to be a synonym for "magician", which is what we have replaced it with.

==Commonwealth History==
* '''10/05/2023'''
We've changed the year of the formation of the [[Commonwealth#History|Commonwealth]] from 120YE to 105YE so that it is consistent with the background of [[Emperor Frederick]].

==Throne Election==
* '''05/05/2023'''
Appointment of a Throne is [[Senate_motion#Constitutional_Vote|constitutional vote]]. We've made it more explicit that the [[Assembly of the Nine]], as well as the [[General Assembly]], can [[veto]] the election of [[the Throne]]. We've also added that one of the first things every Throne does is ratify their own appointment.

==Marsh Commissions==
* '''19/04/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[commission]] page to indicate that the [[Commission#Marshes|problem of building on marshes]] has become permanent.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''14/04/2023'''
We've added a note to [[Dreams in the Witch House]] inviting players to e-mail us before the event with information about territories they intend to scry so that we are more likely to have a response ready.

==Conjunctions==
* '''12/04/2023'''
We've updated the wiki to make it clear that characters who are nominated by the civil service to [[Sentinel_Gate#Prognostication|oversee a conjunction]] can delegate that authority to another character and that they are not expected to go on the conjunction if they don't want to do so. Any player who doesn't want to oversee a conjunction can contact plot@profounddecisions.co.uk to have the responsibility shifted to another character.

==Endorsement==
* '''08/04/2023'''
Clarified the limits of [[endorsement|endorsing]] deals with eternals. An endorsement cannot support a deal made with an eternal that is under [[Alignment#Enmity|enmity]] ''at the time the deal is made''. Amity or Neutrality cannot be retroactively applied.

==Divination Rituals==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We've made matching updates to [[Clear Counsel of the Everflowing River]] and [[Combing the Beach]], Both rituals now require an effigy to perform, and that the question posed be submitted the previous night. The response to the ritual now comes when it is performed, rather than some time afterwards. You can find more details about the change on the [[Rules update 2023#Divination Ritual Updates|Rules update]] page.

==Shuttle Service==
* '''06/04/2023'''
We have taken the decision not to charge for the [[Dadford_Road_Campsite#Banbury_Shuttle_Service|shuttle service in 2023]]. We have no plans to charge for the shuttle in the future if the costs to run the service remain similar.

==Regio and Portals==
* '''05/04/2023'''
We made some adjustments to [[detect magic]] and [[operate portal]] to lay out their functionality when it comes to detecting and identifying [[regio]] and the portals that lie within them. We included in operate portal the mechanics of accessing the Hall of Worlds (copied from the regio page), given how commonly that spell effect is used by magicians.

==Military Rituals==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've made several updates to rituals that involve [[Army|armies]] and [[fortification|fortifications]]. The [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Rituals|Rules Update 2023]] page goes through these changes in detail. The rituals affected are [[Knights of Glory]], [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Frozen Citadel of Cathan Canae]], [[Forge the Wooden Fastness]], [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], [[The Basalt Citadel]], [[Golden Ramparts]] and [[Stone's Unyielding Defiance]].

We've also modified [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]], [[Quickening Cold Meat]], and the non-Imperial ritual '''Footsteps of the Fallen''' to change the [[roleplaying effects]] experienced by the [[general]] targeted by the [[enchantment]].

==Resources and Conquered Territories==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've changed the way [[fleet|fleets]] and [[military unit|military units]] interact with the [[Resource#Conquered_Territories|conquered territory]] rules. Previously these two resources had been exempt from the penalty for being in a conquered territory; we've removed that exemption. You can read more about this change in the [[Rules_update_2023#Military_Units_and_Fleets|rules update]].

==Venom==
* '''31/03/2023'''
We've clarified the [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] call to make it explicit that if you are [[Combat#Dying|dying]] and have less than thirty seconds to live when you are hit by venom, then you should continue with your current count - gaining the venom condition ''never'' increases the time remaining if you were already dying.

==Spring Rituals==
* '''23/03/2023'''
The effects of [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] have been significantly changed, and we've removed the '''Midwife's Recourse''' ritual from the game. Discussion of and explanation for these changes can be found on the [[Rules_update_2023#Spring_Rituals|Rules update 2023]]page. We also added a medicine section to the [[Technology#Medicine|Technology]] page, and a section on the [[Healing in Empire#Pregnancy and childbirth|healing in Empire]] page.

==COVID Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have updated the [[entry requirements]] and the rules for [[COVID safety]] for our events in 2023.

==Bow Safety==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We have overhauled the rules for [[bow safety]] at Empire. Please make sure you read and understand the new rules if you use a bow or crossbow at any point at the events.

==Blood of the Hydra==
* '''14/03/2023'''
[[Blood of the Hydra]] has been amended to make it explicit that it is intended for the treatment of limbs ruined by effects such as [[Calls#CLEAVE|CLEAVE]] or the like. It cannot be used to regrow internal or damaged organs, and is only useful for traumatic wounds when explicitly called out. Damaged internal organs are very much intended to be in the purview of the [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]], and regenerating or replacing them magically is a much more significant use of magic than simply repairing a limb ruined by a sword. '''(23/03/2023)''' Further discussion of this change can be found [[Rules_update_2023#Reasoning:_Blood_of_the_Hydra|here]].

==Chimes of Annulment==
* '''14/03/2023'''
We've changed the casting time on [[Chimes of Annulment]] to be 2 minutes rather than 5, to bring it in to line with other rituals.

==Knight-protector Declination==
* '''10/03/2023'''
We've added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Appointment|Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] about what happens if someone wins the tourney but declines to take the title.

==Vital Strength of the Earth==
* '''09/03/2023'''
We've corrected an error in [[Vital Strength of the Earth]] which had the increased magnitude for additional targets at 5, rather than 24.

==Lineage in Play==
* '''08/03/2023'''
We added some material about gaining (and losing) lineage after character creation. There's a section on the [[lineage#Gaining_lineage_in_play|lineage]] page, and sections on each of the individual lineage pages in the ''Imperial (lineage)'' sections.

==Liao and PLV==
* '''08/03/2023'''
Additional information about [[Liao#True Liao|true liao]] has been added to the [[liao]] page. We've also added a new page laying out the procedures and mechanics involved in having a [[past life vision]].

==Card Wording==
* '''02/03/2023'''
We've added a line to the rules about [[Game_items#Cards|cards]] pointing out that when a game item card and the rules on the wiki differ, the rules take precedence. Usually this is because a card was printed during an earlier iteration of the rules.

==Auras==
* '''01/03/2023'''
We've made a few updates to the [[aura]] page. [[Aura#Durable Auras|Durable auras]] are now auras that last indefinitely unless replaced, and we've specified [[Aura#Strong Auras|strong auras]] as being auras with a strength higher than one. We've also explicitly called out that the [[insight]] skill does [[Aura#Virtue|not reveal]] which (if any) virtue or malign spiritual presence an aura is tied to. Finally, we've added a section giving some information about [[Aura#Spontaneous Auras|spontaneous auras]] to the page.

==Booking IC Spaces==
* '''28/02/2023'''
We've added the facility for characters to book IC spaces at the event - the Hub, Hall of Worlds, Military Council and Senate - when not in use for official business. We've added a section to the page on [[Anvil#Booking_Civil_Service_Spaces|Anvil]] to explain how this works and how to make a booking.

==Dreams in the Witch House==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've edited the description of the ritual effect for [[Dreams in the Witch House]] to bring it more into line with the way the ritual is actually working in the field.

==Eye of the High Places==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've removed the requirement for this ritual to be performed in a powerful Day [[regio]], to bring it into line with [[Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] and [[Dreams in the Witch House]].

==Align the Celestial Net==
* '''24/02/2023'''
We've made a slight tweak to [[Align the Celestial Net]] to bring it into line with [[Wind of Mundane Silence]]. Neither ritual can be performed by a coven that is drawing on the power of the target [[regio]] to allow them to cast the ritual.

==Army Enchantments==
* '''23/02/2023'''
We've changed the casting time of rituals that target Imperial Armies to 10 minutes, with the new rule about using the Imperial regio to reduce the casting time to 5 minutes. So far the affected rituals are [[Bound by Common Cause]], [[Brotherhood of Tian]], [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]], [[Eyes of the Hills]], and [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Machines_of_Destruction|Machines of Destruction]].This brings them into line with the other army enchantment rituals.

==Longer Rituals==
*'''23/02/2023'''
We've added an additional power to the [[Regio#The Imperial Regio|Imperial Regio]]. Any ritual with a casting time of at least 10 minutes can be cast in 5 minutes instead when using the Imperial regio. We're updating existing ritual pages to include a reminder of this effect. We've added a note to the "imperial enchantments" ([[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]]) to indicate that they do not have their casting time reduced by the Imperial regio.

==Phial of the Sun / Bloodcloak==
* '''22/02/2023'''
We've updated the rules text for the [[Phial of the Sun]] and [[Bloodcloak]] [[magic items]] to make it explicit that they only duplicate the effect of the five traditional magical [[herb|herbs]]; [[Bladeroot]], [[Cerulean Mazzarine]], [[Imperial Roseweald]], [[Marrowort]], and [[True Vervain]]. While other substances might be described as herbs, they are distinct from the five herbs used by [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] that these magic items can replicate.

==Navarr Are Not...==
* '''15/02/2023'''
We've added a new bullet point to [[Navarr#What_the_Navarr_are_not|What the Navarr are not]] making it clear that while the [[Navarr]] are merciless toward their enemies, they are just as law abiding as any other Imperial nation.

==Conclave Changes==
* '''11/02/2023'''
We've made extensive changes to the [[Conclave]]. This touches on the way a [[Conclave session]] is organised, all the [[declaration|declarations]], and almost all of the [[Imperial title|titles]] associated with the Conclave, as well as [[the Throne]]. Rather than repeat them here, you can find a summary of the changes on the [[Rules_update_2023#Conclave_Changes|Rules update 2023]] page.

==Advisor on the Vallorn==
* '''11/02/2023'''
As part of the updates to the [[Conclave]], we've removed the power of the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]] to raise a free [[Declaration]] of [[Interdiction]].

==Unstoppable and Pretending to be Dead==
* '''19/01/2023'''
We've edited the rules for [[Heroic_skills#Unstoppable|Unstoppable]]. We haven't change the rules, but we've tried to make the intent behind the skill use clearer. We've also rolled in some points from the [[Rules FAQ]] as having information about a skill in two places can be unhelpful.

At the same time, we've made the rule about pretending to be dead or dying more prominent by moving it to the section of the rules dealing with [[Combat#Dying|dying]].

==Operating Portals==
* '''11/01/2023'''
We've made a few minor edits to [[operate portal]] and related effects (specifically the [[Ambassadorial Gatekeeper]] ritual) to make it clearer that you can't bring along additional living creatures even if they are [[combat#Dying|dying]] or [[Combat#Terminal|terminal]].

We've also added a note to the [[Knight-protector#Banner_of_the_Season|Banner of the Season]] power of the [[Knight-protector]] [[Imperial title]] that the Summer Banner is specifically more potent than the others, as there had been some confusion around the fact the item is notably different to the other three.

==Necessary Details==
* '''27/09/2022'''
We added a note to the [[Commission#Necessary_Details|necessary details]] section on the [[commission]] page making it explicit that in the absence of details about the cost of a commission, the civil service will always assume it is the minimum size allowed for such a commission.

==Accoutrements of War==
* '''16/08/2022'''
We've added a boxout to the [[Mystic_scrolls_of_Estavus#Accoutrements_of_War|Accoutrements of War]] ritual making it clearer that the special production granted by the [[enchantment]] ''only'' applies to paid work, not to every action under the independent action dropdown.

==Cardinals and Assemblies==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[cardinal]] page in the [[Cardinal#Appointment|appointment]] section reinforcing the idea that a cardinal must be a member of the [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|assembly]] they lead. Changing assembly (perhaps through [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaching]] in downtime) means the cardinal forfeits their title. Likewise, someone without a [[congregation]] who gains membership of an assembly through the votes granted by a [[sinecure]] cannot become cardinal because as soon as they do, they lose their former [[Imperial title]] and no longer meet the criteria to be cardinal. Both are very edge cases, but are worth bearing in mind.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''15/09/2022'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the three [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] up from 160 to 200. In-character magical scholars believe this is due to the increasing size of the Empire, and might have been heralded by a [[A_yellow_star_hung#A_Light_that_Never_Goes_Out|subtle conjunction]] of the esoteric [[Astronomancy#Constellations|constellations]] of [[the Key]] and [[the Lock]] during the Autumn Equinox. Out-of-character this is because we want to keep these rituals challenging, and the former magnitude is no longer as difficult to achieve as it was when the game began.

We also took the opportunity to change how [[Hallow of the Green World]] works. Previously the coven had to choose which herb the herb gardens would create. This is because when we first created these rituals we didn't have the ability to add random herbs to resources. Now that we do, we've update the ritual to work a little bit more like [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]] and [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]] whose bonus production is set by the base resource rather than being chosen.

==Cruel Quality==
* '''06/09/2022'''
In July, we made a change to the [[Army qualities#Cruel|Cruel]] quality which we forgot to document at the time. Rather than an army with this quality automatically revealing it to everyone in a territory, it is only noticeable when it actively takes the [[Army_qualities#Cruel|Merciless Assault]] order. This change was made to bring the description of the quality into line with how it was actually working in terms of the downtime campaign.

==Clear Lens and Shadowed Glass==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've removed the line "''A detect magic spell may occasionally reveal if there is specific, additional information in a specific location''" from both [[Clear Lens of the Eternal River]] and [[Shadowed Glass of Sung]] because it was misleading; our intention was to allow some space for plot writers to create specific results from these rituals for their plots taking place on Anvil, but this has proved to be impractical.

==Parliament of Owls==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've updates the [[Raven_Seer#Parliament_of_Owls|Parliament of Owls]] power of the [[Raven Seer]] to make it clear there is only one copy of this ritual text and the Raven Seer is expected to hand it to their successor.

==Briar Bark==
* '''04/09/2022'''
We've made a slight update to [[Briar#Patches_of_bark|patches of bark]] on the [[briar]] page. "While tree bark can come in a variety of colours and textures, briar bark is rough, and predominantly brown."

==Shroud of Fog and Ravens==
* '''19/08/2022'''
As noted in the '''[[Of_earth_and_sky#Game_Information|Of earth and sky]]''' wind of war, we're removing the ritual ''Shroud of Fog and Ravens'' from the game. Unfortunately, this ritual is completely incompatible with Empire's magic theory and was a remnant from the very first years of the game before we had nailed down all these elements. As a consequence we are removing this ritual. Any character who has it mastered will now have an empty "slot" for mastering new rituals. The in-character explanation is that the recent conjunction of the Lock has rendered the ritual unworkable, taking away whatever strange power it relied on. We will continue to reject attempts to create similar effects in this realm using arcane projections; it is not possible to enchant armies in this way with [[Night magic]].

==Bright Lantern of Ophis==
* '''11/08/2022'''
We've added an additional line to the [[Bright_Lantern_of_Ophis#Performing_the_Ritual|performing the ritual]] section of [[Bright Lantern of Ophis]] to make it more clear that the ritual cannot be used to target other territories using the Anvil regio.

==Castellan of Spiral Castle==
* '''10/08/2022'''
We've corrected an error around the election of [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] which suggested it would be appointed in Winter when the text indicates the appointment is (correctly) Autumn.

==Improving Opportunities==
* '''07/08/2022'''
We added a section to the page on [[opportunity|opportunities]] explaining that it's rarely possible to simply [[Opportunity#Amending._Improving.2C_and_Upgrading|improve a commission]] gained via an opportunity.

==Visions==
* '''03/08/2022'''
We've made it explicit that the visions received from [[Infusions_of_Feathers#Goosewhisper_Infusion|Goosewhisper Infusion]] and [[Signs and Portents]] are the same. If you experience one, you get the same vision from all other incidences of these kinds of visions for the rest of the event.

==Concedence==
* '''29/7/2022'''
The Constitutional Court have issued new guidance on the use of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]] by the Imperial Senate. The new guidance grants national assemblies the right to veto a motion that cedes a region or territory assigned to that nation. This new guidance does not cover any concedence already passed by the Imperial Senate, it is not a retrospective change, it applies to any motion of Concedence passed by the Imperial Senate from Summer 384YE and onwards.

==Raising an Army==
* '''29/07/2022'''
We've amended the rules to make clear that you can only raise an army in a territory of that nation. Nobody has ever tried to raise an army somewhere else, but we wanted to be clear that that is not possible.

==Consecration==
* '''20/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Consecration#Performance|performance]] section of the [[consecration]] skill to make it clearer that "letting a referee know in advance" means "during an event" rather than "prior to the event."

==Challenge the Iron Duke==
* '''14/07/2022'''
We've added a paragraph to the [[Challenge_the_Iron_Duke#OOC_Elements|out-of-character section]] of [[Challenge the Iron Duke]] to help players better manage their expectation of the kind of challenge or boon the ritual might provide.

==Abrogation==
* '''13/07/2022'''
We've updated the [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogation]] power of the Senate to make it clearer that when a [[commission]] is abrogated the exact effects depend on the nature of the structure affected, but generally result in the loss of any production following the summit where the motion is passed.

==Preaching and Virtue==
* '''13/07/2022'''
The Imperial Senate [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Amend_membership_of_virtue_assemblies|voted]] during the Spring Equinox to change how membership of a [[Assembly#The_Virtue_Assemblies|Virtue Assembly]] was determined from relying solely on [[dedication]] to use of the new ''[[Congregation#Downtime Options|preach]]'' downtime option. We've updated the [[congregation]] and [[Assembly]] pages appropriately, as well as adding additional information to [[Synod#History|history of the Imperial Synod]], [[Imperial_Orcs_religious_beliefs#Membership_of_the_Virtue_Assemblies|Imperial Orcs religious beliefs]] and [[preachers]] pages. There are also a number of minor edits to other pages talking about the Virtue assemblies to reflect the changes.

==IC Tents==
* '''12/07/2022'''
We have discovered that the range of tents marketed as Oxford Canvas has grown to include a small number of tents that don't meet our minimum requirements for the in-character field because the colour and thickness of the material they are made from looks too much like plastic. We've clarified the [[Costume|rules]] to make clear that these types of tent are not allowed because of this.

We do understand that the tents are appealing because they are cheap and light, but we have to have a cut-off at some point otherwise we would have to allow any tent in the IC area.

We've created an amnesty to allow these ultra-light sandstone bell tents to be used for the remainder of 2022 to remove any immediate need to change.

==Naga Scales==
* '''06/07/2022'''
We've added a line to [[Naga#Scaled_Skin|scaled skin]] under naga reminding players to be sensitive to real-world considerations when choosing the colour scheme for their scales.

==Artisan's Oil==
* '''05/07/2022'''
We've changed the time required to use [[Artisan's Oil]] to ten seconds on the wiki, to bring it in line with what the majority of the item cards say.

==Ephisis' Scale==
* '''24/06/2022'''
We've made a few tweaks to [[Ephisis' Scale]], primarily around managing expectations and being more explicit about what will, and will not, be considered by the ritual effect.

==Mage Armour Masks==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added "''mask''" to the standard pieces that count toward a suit of [[Weapons_%26_armour#Mage_Armour|mage armour]].

==Plenipotentiary==
* '''22/06/2022'''
We've added a line to the [[archmage]] power of [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to make it clearer that the more specific a message is, the more likely it is to result in [[Archmage#Parley|parley]].

==Drawing the Penumbral Veil==
* '''10/06/2022'''
We've updated the [[Piercing Light of Revelation]] ritual to make it explicit that the ritual does not automatically reveal the magnitude of a shroud on a territory.

==Fane==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We added a note that the new [[fane]] commission can currently be built only by the [[Senate]] or a title that can commission ''anything''. This is both because it is a specific, new kind of commission, and because it uses the Senate power of [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|concedence]].

==Penumbral Watcher==
* '''03/06/2022'''
We've changed the [[Penumbral_Watcher#Shadow_Well|Shadow Well]] power of the [[Penumbral Watcher]] so that it is a "magical effect" that targets an allied [[spy network]] rather than a "territory enchantment" to better reflect how it actually works. If it ''was'' an enchantment on the territory, it would be obvious to the Empire's enemies, and could be removed with any territory enchantment they cared to place themselves.

==Brass Coast Tally==
* '''01/06/2022'''
Following on from a statement of principle in the Brass Coast National Assembly, we've [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Sails_of_Fire|changed]] how the [[Tally of the Votes]] is done for Brass Coast national positions appointed through the Bourse. It's no longer required that a character engage in privateering to vote for such titles; ownership of a [[fleet]] resource is sufficient.

==Anointing and informed consent==
* '''01/06/2022'''
We've (again) updated [[anointing]]. A target does not need to be aware of what virtue they are being anointed with, but they ''must'' be aware that your ceremony is an anointing that will create a personal aura on them.

==Vallornspawn Husk Insight==
* '''29/05/2022'''
We've added a section to the [[vallornspawn husk]] page relating to use of the [[insight]] ceremony. It talks about the [[Vallornspawn_husk#Insight|contradictory results]] received when using the ceremony on bodies animated by the vallorn.

==Election Schedule==
* '''25/05/2022'''
We've [[New_Imperial_titles#Term|updated the wiki]] to make clear that the civil service set what event a title is elected on, if the title is reappointed each year. In practice titles have usually worked this way anyway - for example Bourse seats are all done together and so forth, but we have made clear that new Imperial titles are subject to this rule in all cases. We've done this because we need to be able to spread elections out through the year for the smooth running of the game.

==Sinecure==
* '''13/05/2022'''
Added a small section to the [[sinecure]] page explaining how [[sinecure#production|production]] of resources works.

==Titles, Tenure, and Ownership==
* '''12/05/2022'''
We've made some edits to the way [[tenure]] works for [[Imperial title|Imperial titles]], along with a short box-out explaining the reasons for the change. We've also added a new section called [[Imperial_title#Ownership|ownership]] which is intended to help manage the expectation of players who gain Imperial titles during the game.

==Dedication==
* '''11/05/2022'''
We've updated the overview of the [[Dedication#Overview|dedication]] page to remove an incorrect reference to only priests who are undedicated being able to remove a dedication.


==Imperial Orc Wayleave==
* '''18/04/2022'''
Fixed the error on the Imperial Orc Wayleave that had them only able to commission once a year. While the title is appointed in the Autumn Equinox it can announce one commission each season.

==Foam and Trees==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've added the line "The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual" to both [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] and [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees]].

==Mountain Remembers Its Youth==
* '''17/04/2022'''
We've made it clearer that [[Mountain Remembers Its Youth]] affects fortifications alongside Imperial armies as this wasn't clear from the effect text.

==Rivers Run Red / Rivers of Life==
* '''14/04/2022'''
We've added a line "''The civilian population of a territory will certainly be affected by this ritual.''" to the [[Rivers Run Red]] and [[Rivers of Life]] rituals to make it clear that these rituals will have an effect on the civilian population of a territory, not only the Imperial armies there.

==Hand of the Maker and Stamps==
* '''13/04/2022'''
We've updated [[Hand of the Maker]] to make it explicit that the special message used with [[Call Winged Messenger]] can be evaluated with this ritual as it has a Profound Decisions ID number.

==COVID Safety==
* '''24/03/2022'''
We've updated the wiki with our [[COVID safety]] measures for our events this year. Our plan is to review these measures and update many of them on the run up to each event on the basis of current conditions.

==Sinecure Production==
* '''23/03/2022'''
We've updated the [[sinecure]] page to make it clear that you still gain the production even if you didn't attend the event.

==Conduct Overhaul==
* '''20/03/2022'''
We have rewritten the Profound Decisions [[conduct]] policy. The page on [[conduct]] defines the rules that we expect all participants to follow, [[reporting a conduct problem]] provides information on the process for reporting any issue you have, and [[sanctions]] describes the steps we can take in response. We have also updated the text for the [[must-avoid policy]] to reflect the new changes. There is a description of the key changes and some of the reasoning on our [[Rules_update_2021#Conduct_Overhaul|rules update 2022]] page.

==Sutannir==
* '''17/03/2022'''
We have added a new wiki page devoted to the [[sutannir]], [[archetype|archetypal]] Freeborn priest who focuses on encouraging celebration and festivities. We've also updated [[the Brass Coast religious beliefs]] page with new information to complement the updates to the sutannir page.

==Public Auction==
* '''24/02/2022'''
We've significantly reduced the scale and scope of the public auctions carried out by civil servants at events. From now on, the auction will be restricted to lots of bourse resources, the bourse seats themselves, and a dose of true liao. A more detailed explanation of the changes and reasoning are [[Rules update 2021|presented here]].

==Sanctioned Events==
* '''07/02/2022'''
We've made several edits to our [[sanctioned events]] page, splitting some of the information onto a separate [[Sanctioned event advice]] page aimed at organisers. The main changes are around the definitions of sanctioned event styles, and the rule that all sanctioned events take place in the same chronological order in-character that they do out-of-character.

==Downtime Roleplaying and Coronavirus==
* '''27/01/2022'''
We removed the relaxed rules about online roleplaying during lockdown from the wiki, and edited references to them. The normal rules about roleplaying [[online]] and in [[downtime]] are now back in full effect.

==Wind of Mundane Silence==
* '''26/01/2022'''
We've removed the idea that the [[Wind of Mundane Silence]] can only be used to affect a powerful [[regio]]. The ritual will destroy ''any'' regio it is performed at.

==Fish People==
* '''16/01/2022'''
We've added a note to the [[Merrow]] page under "[[Merrow#What they are not|what they are not]]" to indicate that they are not fish people.

==Emphasising Agramant==
* '''13/01/2022'''
We’ve made a change to the setting we want to let you know about. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as [[Agramant]]. Likewise we're changing the name of the Wendigo's Bargain item to [[Agramant's Bargain]].

We are not changing anything else about the character or tendencies of this eternal, but we are de-emphasising the name Wendigo. Agramant has always been one of Wendigo's names - so we've chosen to emphasise it as the "preferred" name for the eternal on the wiki from now on.

We've done this for several reasons. We've been aware for a while of some concerns about the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wendigo origin of the name], and what that implies for our use of the eternal. We’ve reflected on that feedback and noted that while many of the other eternals make references (at variable subtlety levels) to literary, mythological, or gaming sources, Wendigo was the only one we know of with a name that is directly featured in a real-world belief system. There are no eternals called Hades, Hel, or Balor for example.

For the time being, the name Wendigo will remain one of Agramant’s less-widely used sobriquets. We'd like people to adopt this de-emphasising approach over time rather than treating this as a retcon or sudden break - for example, we know that many characters have written a lot of material about this eternal. It isn't suddenly off brief or wrong to use the original name, and there's no need to reprint IC booklets that use the name Wendigo. The name will remain one of Agramant's less widely used soubriquets. From this point forward, the eternal who has been primarily known by the name Wendigo will be more commonly known as Agramant.

==Archiving Wiki Updates==
* '''12/02/2022'''
We archived wiki updates prior to 2019. The page had long since become unwieldy due to the sheer volume of entries, and in several cases the page listed updates that were out of date or superseded by later updates. Wiki updates prior to 2019 are now held on the [[Archive:Wiki_updates_to_2018|previous wiki updates]] page in the Archive namespace.

==Frequently Asked Questions==
* '''11/01/2022'''
We've made some edits to the [[General FAQ]], and deleted both the ''obscure questions'' and ''new player FAQ'' pages. Most of the questions covered by those pages have been folded into the remaining sections.

==Calls and Blows==
* '''03/11/2021'''
We've added some words to [[Calls]] to make it clear that you can only make one call with each blow you strike.

==Iron Qanat==
* '''26/10/2021'''
We've updated the [[Segura]] page to include the presence of the Iron Qanat; this has also required a note on the [[Construct Iron Qanat II]] Senate motion that the [[great work]] is in Sobral Grasses not Yellow Chase.

==Battle Safety==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've made some edits to streamline the [[Event safety#Battle Safety|Battle Safety]] section on the [[Event safety]] page.

==Heroic Skills==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a line to the [[heroic skills]] overview reiterating that skills such as [[Heroic skills#Cleaving Strike|cleaving strike]], [[Heroic skills#Mortal Blow|mortal blow]] or [[Heroic skills#Mighty Strikedown|mighty strikedown]] cannot be used with [[Weapons_%26_armour#Implements|mage implements]].

==Illegal Orders==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a short section to the [[general]] page about [[army orders]] that are in-character illegal and how they are handled.

==Orders that Break the Rules==
* '''22/10/2021'''
We've added a clarification to the [[army orders]] page about what happens if a general accidentally submits a set of orders that break the rules on war.

==Imperial Enchantments==
* '''13/10/2021'''
We've made some adjustments to the [[:Category:Imperial Enchantment|Imperial enchantments]] - [[Wondrous Forests of the Night]], [[Hallow of the Green World]], and [[Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths]]. The main change is to modify the ''effect'' of these rituals to better reflect how they actually operate - that they create powerful but unpredictable secondary effects as well as the more predictable effect on production of resources. We've also expanded their history a little in the ''description'' sections in the wake of the recent [[#Finalized Urizen Update|Urizen update]].

==Finalised Urizen Update==
* '''28/09/2021'''
We've finalised the Urizen update. Mostly this has meant removing the stubs from the pages but we've made a small number of changes to the content based on player feedback.
* The [[sword scholar]] section about [[Sword scholar#Costume|costume]] has been edited to remove unnecessary references and make it clearer what kind of weapons and armour the sword scholars favour.
* We modified some of the wording on the [[Urizen look and feel]] page to hopefully make it clearer
* We updated the [[costume]] page to make the wording around [[costume#Less Appropriate Costume|less appropriate]] and [[Costume#Inappropriate Costume|inappropriate]] costume clearer.
* We clarified the rules on guy ropes in the [[Costume#In-Character Tents|In-Character Tents]] section of the [[costume]] page.
* We modified the details of the [[Some_heavenly_music#Net_of_Gossamer_Chains|Net of Gossamer Chains]] ritual in the [[Some heavenly music]] wind of fortune
* We've moved the content regarding the Urizen Spring Festival to the [[Urizen culture and customs#Spring Flower Festival|culture and customs]] page.

==Privateering and Piracy==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have added a note to the box-out about the privateering action on the [[fleet]] page to remind players that they cannot use this action to commit piracy against people the Empire is not at war with due to the [[Employ_Civil_Service_to_observe_Fleets|Civil Service observers]].

==Armour Coverage==
* '''09/09/2021'''
We have updated the armour rules to make clear that a full breastplate that covers the front only is sufficient to be classed as "covering the majority of the torso". This means it will provide extra hits provided your armour also covers one other location.

==Urizen Politics Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
As part of our review of Urizen, we've changed the way the nation appoints [[senator|senators]]. You can read about the changes [[Urizen leadership#Leading a territory|here]] and a discussion of the reasons and in-character explanation for them can be found [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Elections|here]].

==Urizen Culture Update==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've undertaken an extensive review of the Urizen pages on the wiki. Almost all the pages that form part of the Urizen brief have been updated. You can learn more about the reasoning for this and the way the changes are being handled in the [[Rules_update_2021#Urizen_Culture|Rules Update]]. A brief summary of the changes follows here.
* We've updated [[Urizen]], [[Urizen people]], [[Urizen culture and customs]], [[Urizen leadership]], [[Urizen economic interests]], [[Urizen religious beliefs]], [[Urizen military concerns]] and [[Urizen magical traditions]]
* We've greatly expanded the [[Urizen history]] page
* We've added significantly to the [[spire]] page and created an [[Urizen groups]] page (which will also serve as a template for similar pages in other nations)
* We've extensively overhauled [[Urizen look and feel]] in line with our new [[costume]] guidelines
* We've added or updated pages for all the Urizen archetypes: [[arbiter]], [[architect]], [[illuminate]], [[mage]], [[seer]], [[sentinel]], [[stargazer]], [[sword scholar]], [[torchbearer]], [[questor]]
* We've added the rituals placed into [[Urizen magical traditions#urizen lore|Urizen lore]]
* We've added a page for the historical figure [[Sulemaine]]
Some tweaks have been made (or are in the process of being made) to various pages that are connected to these changes.

==Costume==
* '''07/09/2021'''
We've completed rewritten the [[costume]] page to lay out clearer guidelines for the various ways costume is used at Empire.

==Vallorn Miasma==
* '''20/08/2021'''
Added a line of OOC explanation to the [[Vallorn#Vallorn miasma|vallorn miasma]] section of the [[vallorn]] page to make it explicit how exposure to the miasma works.

==Armour==
*'''2/7/2021'''
We have changed the [[Weapons & armour#Armour|classification and benefits provided by armour]] and introduced the [[Combat skills#Dreadnought|dreadnought]] skill. Please see the [[Rules_update_2021|2021 rules update]] for the explanation and reasoning behind the changes.

==Others Languages==
*'''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to [[languages]] giving guidance on languages other than those currently placed in the setting which you can find [[Languages#Other_Languages|here]].

==Regio at Sanctioned Events==
* '''28/06/2021'''
We've added a section to the [[Sanctioned events]] guidance about [[regio]] which you can find [[Sanctioned_events#Regio|here]].

==Lineage Review==
* '''06/05/2021'''
We've completed the first stage of a review of the [[lineage]] pages. This stage has been largely cosmetic, removing bullet points and replacing them with linkable headings on the [[briar]], [[cambion]], [[changeling]], [[draughir]], [[merrow]] and [[naga]] pages.

One more significant change is that we have moved the "demeanour" trappings from the "physical trappings" section of each of the pages to the roleplaying section. This is in line with the requirement that to have lineage you must have a physical trapping.

In the case of merrow, we have also moved [[Merrow#Blue-green Hair|blue-green hair]] from being a minor trapping to being an "[[Merrow#Other_trappings|other trapping]]".

==Distil the Serpent's Stone==
* '''21/04/2021'''
We've corrected the magnitude on the [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] page to match the correct magnitude on the database and in the rituals list. It should have been magnitude 100 rather than magnitude 70.

==Icons and Artistry==
* '''01/03/2021'''
We've removed the "Icons and Artistry" pages for each nation, and rolled that information into the individual Culture and Customs pages. In some cases this has meant moving some information from Look and Feel as well, or altering the layout of the page (for example we've reordered the information about art and history on the [[Wintermark culture and customs]] page to create two new subsections of [[Wintermark culture and customs|Scops]] and [[Wintermark culture and customs|Riddles]] while moving the discussion of music to the new [[Wintermark culture and customs|Icons and Artistry]] section).
* [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Brass Coast]]
* [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Dawn]]
* [[Highguard_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Highguard]]
* [[Imperial_Orcs_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Imperial Orcs]]
* [[The_League_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The League]]
* [[The_Marches_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|The Marches]]
* [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Navarr]]
* [[Urizen_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Urizen]]
* [[Varushka_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Varushka]]
* [[Wintermark_culture_and_customs#Icons_and_Artistry|Wintermark]]

==Erawayugot and Skaftafell==
* '''23/02/2021'''
We've corrected an error with the regions of Otkodov where we'd erroneously labelled both a region of [[Verthandi]] and a region of Nithoggir as "Erawayugot". Bringing the wiki into line with the database, we've changed the name of the Erawayugot in Verthandi to Skaftafell and will update the maps appropriately.

==Military Units, Army Orders, and Enchantments==
* '''17/02/2021'''
We've added a line to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|Military units]] to make it more obvious how their strength interacts with orders given to, and enchantments placed on, the [[Army|armies]] they support.

==Still Waters, Running Deep==
* '''10/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the magnitude of the [[Still Waters, Running Deep]] ritual to be correct as near as we can tell. We have no idea why the magnitude was recorded in error.

==Burning Falcon==
* '''05/02/2021'''
We've adjusted the date of the destruction of the [[Burning Falcon]] army from 247YE to 248YE to remove a conflict with details of the [[campaigns of Emperor Guntherm]]. In-character this correction comes as result of some research performed by [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] scholar Bakar i Erigo (Tomas Marchington).

The tune without the words

2026-03-18T13:17:02Z

Rosemary: /* Out With Lanterns */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<ic>'''Wind in Progress'''<br>This wind is a roundup of magical events and effects. Normally, this would be one of the last winds to be published because it is heavily dependant on plots that are running at the event. This can be unsatisfying, because it often results in us presenting things that don't leave players enough time to consider them before heading to the event. To try and combat this, we're planning to publish it in an "unfinished" state - and add elements to it as they are developed. Once everything is on here that needs to be on here, we'll remove this box and the tag at the top of the page and let people know that it isn't going to change again.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Anvil By Night.png|align=left|width=400|caption=The night sky is alive with music, for those who know how to listen.}}</div>
==Overview==
Magic fills the Known World. It rides the winds, it rises with the sun and the stars, it flows in great currents through the forests and the seas and the sky. It is part of the rivers and the forests, the seas and the skies. It is studied, mastered, examined, and debated. It is mysterious, enigmatic, unpredictable, and yet follows its own strange laws. All mortals practice magic, and yet they are not the only sources of magic in the world. It comes from rattling runes, from the heavens, from the wellspring of blood, from the shapes and symbols of creation, and while it can be bidden it cannot always be restrained. Wonder is all around, an endless wordless tune that winds and weaves around all things.

This wind of fortune rounds up a roundup of assorted strange events, some arising from mortal actions some with less explicable causes. There is a companion piece to this wind, '''[[The thing with feathers]]''', that deals with things relating specifically to the [[eternal|eternals]] of the [[Realms|six realms]].
==Out With Lanterns==
{{CaptionedImage|file=NBUrizen.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
* '''Since the Autumn equinox, five new rituals have become part of Urizen Lore
* '''Two of the rituals were contributed by Imperial covens who are open about their decision to do so
* '''Three others draw on the power of the destructive eternal Siakha and are illegal to perform
[[Urizen lore]] was created with the aid of the [[eternal]] [[Phaleron]] as a repository of magic that can only be performed by the magicians of [[Urizen]]. As part of the arrangement a ritual - [[Gift of Knowledge]] - was created by the ''Celestial Library'' to allow new rituals to become part of that body of magical lore. While no rituals were contributed to [[Urizen lore]] during the Autumn equinox, in the months since a surprising total of ''five'' new rituals have become available. Given the ''Gift of Knowledge'' can be cast by any Imperial or [[Commonwealth]] coven with even a rudimentary understanding of [[Magical_skills#Realm_Lore|Day lore]], it is perhaps surprising it doesn't happen more often. Perhaps the innate value of a ritual text, jealously guarded by those who have access to them, makes it more surprising that ''any'' rituals are presented. Either way, each of these rituals is now part of Urizen lore. They can be mastered following the usual rules, but can also be cast by Urizeni magicians who have not mastered them.

===Bells and Dragons===
* '''Two new rituals have been added to Urizen lore since the Autumn Equinox'''
* '''''Bells of Silver and Brass'' restores the strength of a depleted garrison
* '''''Might of Vstaive'' strengthens the garrison of a fortification
* '''''Golden Ramparts'' has been updated in line with the new fortification rules
A week or so before the Winter Solstice, the librarians of the [[Morrow#Grand_Library_of_Canterspire|Grand Library of Canterspire]] discreetly let it be known that two new rituals have been added to [[Urizen lore]] - ''[[Bells of Silver and Brass]]'' and ''[[Might of Vstaive]]''. It seems that these rituals were originally codified at the [[Morrow#The_Halls_of_Knowledge_(ruined)|Halls of Knowledge]], long before it was destroyed by the [[Druj]]. While the rituals came from different sources, both covens involved have indicated that they were persuaded to contribute their rituals by representatives of the ''[[Jaheris|Moonsilver King]]''. Both groups admit they received boons from the ''Unicorn Prince'' in return for their ritual texts, but neither discloses exactly what their boons were. In both cases, likewise, they claim that the heralds indicated their master, the ''Lord of the Forest of Arden'', was motivated by a simple desire to help [[Urizen]] protect itself from its many, many enemies and expected nothing in return.

The first ritual, was submitted to Canterspire Library by members of the ''Shield of Thought'' coven from [[Redoubt#Willstone|Willstone Citadel]] in [[Redoubt]]. The ''Bells of Silver and Brass'' is a work of [[Autumn magic]], codified during the reign of [[Emperor James]]. It seems that originally it was used to inspire soldiers to come to the defence of their neighbours through the use of invisible bells, but the ritual seems to have other, somewhat more practical applications. When this magnitude 80 Autumn ritual is cast on a [[fortification]] it subtly draws volunteers to take up weapons, and improves the process of turning a raw recruit into a seasoned soldier. This means that over the coming season, the garrison of the target fortification is restored, regaining 250 points of strength, in addition to any other resupply the garrison receives, even if the garrison is involved in fighting.

The other ritual is a much older, dating from the early reign of [[Empress Varkula]], and contributed by a [[Dawn|Dawnish]] coven. The ''Roses of Racqueen'' are a [[Weaver cabal]] from [[Semmerholm]] and how they came into possession of the ritual text for ''Might of Vstaive'' is not clear. The ritual itself employs [[Summer magic]] to enchant a fortification, reinforcing both the [[bastion]] and the [[fortification#garrison|garrison]]. Examination of the ritual by Urizen magicians of the [[Unfettered Mind]] and [[Rod and Shield]] indicates that it is almost identical to [[Golden Ramparts]] but with some very distinct differences. Golden Ramparts calls forth several dozen golden lions from the realm of [[Meraud]] to fight alongside the garrison, and relies on an [[Golden Ramparts#Assurance|assurance]] to give it power. Might of Vstaive however instead fills the mortal defenders of a castle with courage, preternatural [[Summer_magic#Prowess|prowess]], and a thirst for [[Summer_magic#Triumph|victory]]. Yet the outcome from a purely practical point of view is the same - save that one uses the power of a Summer eternal and the other does not.

The contribution of ''Might of Vstaive'' suggests that Jaheris' ''real'' motivation in encouraging these rituals to be given to Urizen might be to undermine Meraud. Regardless of provenance, both rituals are available to any Urizen magician who wishes to learn them by the usual means. Indeed given that neither relies on an eternal for their power, they could be used as a template for an [[arcane projection]] and even [[College_of_magic#Benefits|codified]] at a [[college of magic]] and made part of wider [[Imperial lore]], if anyone wished to do so.

Technology

2025-10-14T09:33:10Z

Rosemary: /* Literacy and Numeracy */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Lightstones.jpg|align=right|caption=Lightstones are just one of the discoveries that sets Empire apart from the real world.|width=600}}
==Overview==
While the basic technology of the game is aimed at a magical-medieval tone, there are a few things that go beyond the historical equivalents in the setting. This page lays out some of the important elements of common technology in the Empire that distinguish the setting from historical Europe. Most of these additions are designed to provide in-character explanations for real world technology - to make the setting fit the game better.

It is important to note that Empire is ''not'' a game of technological exploration - technological advancement and invention are not themes of the game. This means that you cannot invent binoculars by putting two spyglasses together - this is against the spirit of the game and would fail if you tried it. Substances like gunpowder are not part of our setting and cannot be researched or discovered.

==Lightstones==
Lightstone is an uncommon crystalline mineral mined primarily in the peaks of [[Urizen]], although there are also small deposits in the mountains of [[Kahraman]], [[Wintermark]], and [[Varushka]]. In its natural state, it is translucent and may be mistaken for a form of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]. When properly cut and polished, however, the unique property of the lightstone is revealed; the stone glows, producing light without heat.

The size, shape, and quality of the stone affect the amount of light given off. The Urizen have discovered that the best shape for worked lightstone is a sphere - dramatically increasing the amount of light given off. In almost all cases, they have noted an inverse relationship between the size of the stone and the amount of light given off - smaller stones tend to produce more light than larger stones. There are exceptions, of course - but any lightstone larger than a few inches across that provides significant light is rare enough to be practically unique.
__TOC__
The Urizen are masters of working with and using lightstone. For example, they pioneered a process whereby lightstone can be treated with a carefully prepared solution of beggar's lye, iridescent gloaming, and ambergelt that causes the light of the stone to become tinted - most commonly blue, green, or red. Likewise, they are adept at combining lightstone with polished mirrors to focus or direct the light the stone provides. Urizen lanterns are very much in demand by miners (they are much safer to use underground than naked flames) and by sailors (no amount of water extinguishes a lightstone). Properly cared for, they can provide light for decades or (in rare cases) centuries without dimming.<br><br>
'''Lightstones in play'''<br>
Lightstones are a justification to use modern lighting in the field. Modern LED lights, in particular, are particularly useful in LRP, and while a modern torch isn't appropriate in the setting, you can buy cool looking LED lanterns or make your own. The ideal phys-rep for a lightstone will have something to diffuse the light, to further hide its modern character.

==Printing Press==
In the Empire, the first printing presses were designed and built in [[Tassato#Tassato Regario|Tassato Regario]] and the first presses were employed here printing religious tracts, scholarly treatises and political manifestos. Today, the device is known throughout the Empire and beyond (it is popular in the [[Commonwealth]], while other foreign nations largely view it as an amusing novelty). Many presses, especially the smaller ones, still use the original woodcut block [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_press screw-press], but in the last thirty years or so a handful of printers (mostly in the League) have begun to explore the miracle of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movable_type movable type].

The art of printing is still closely associated with [[the League]] in many minds. Easily three-fifths of all printing in the Empire takes place in [[Tassato]], where rival printing houses compete for customers and work to explore new innovations such as colour, and the recreation of line drawings (although as to the latter several houses are now experimenting with acid etching and similar techniques to reproduce images - the innovative spirit of the League in action). Printing houses allow for a volume of trade that helps to keep the actual costs involved relatively low - it is reasonably common for visitors to Anvil to encounter printed pamphlets, fliers, posters, and the like. By comparison, printed books are uncommon - and even then they tend to be on the short side.
<br><br>'''Printing presses in play'''<br>
The printing press exists to allow players to use word processors and printers rather than doing everything by hand. Producing a pile of pamphlets, fliers, or posters is something anyone can do; there are also player groups who roleplay that they run printing houses, and are usually happy to let a player add their "stamp of approval" to any printing they might do. Printed books, on the other hand, are not common - they exist but they tend to be slim volumes rather than thick novels, and tend to have a limited print run. This reflects the fact that it is much easier for players and plot-writers to produce a short pamphlet than an entire book.

==Literacy and Numeracy==
Since the time of [[Emperor Giovanni]], the Empire has prided itself on providing every citizen with access to education in reading, writing, and numeracy. Not everyone is literate to the same degree; conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia are well-known in the Empire. This level of education is not the standard for the entire world - while the Commonwealth matches the Empire in its commitment to basic education, other nations are a lot more haphazard in their approach. In many parts of the world, the ability to read and write is rare outside the privileged classes.

In terms of mathematics, the Empire is quite advanced compared to the medieval world. Algebra and geometry are well understood, and some scholars (especially in Urizen) explore the world of numbers with a similar fervour to that with which wizards study the realm of magic.
<br><br>'''Literacy and numeracy in play'''<br>
Illiteracy of Imperial citizens is not a significant theme of roleplay at Empire. Dyslexia is included in our setting as a way for dyslexic players to play dyslexic characters if they wish to do so (and likewise for dyscalculia and similar). We would ask players who are not themselves dyslexic to be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who experiences literacy difficulties.

Books should be phys-repped with an actual book, but that isn't always possible and there are accessibility reasons why someone might need to use an alternative. There are no "magic books" in Empire, but a player who needs to use a tablet to access the wiki or help with things like ritual calculations can do so. Players should make every effort to disguise it as a physical, mundane book. Be aware that while nobody will have any in-character reason to take the item, it [[Playing_the_game#Stealing_Items_in_Anvil|may be inadvertently taken]] if it is stored in an in-character bag with other belongings.

Because these devices represent physical books in character, we ask that players only use them where there is an access need and check them as briefly and discreetly as possible. If you need to store documents and information that is not on the wiki then please also provide a printed copy for other players who need to read the information. This ensures that another character can flick through the text and discover any secret or hidden information contained therein - which is not possible with another participant's electronic device.

==Medicine==
The world of Empire has significant magical healing. The five magical [[herbs]] and spells such as [[heal]], [[purify]], and [[restore limb]] mean that many injuries or illnesses that might otherwise be fatal or life-changing can be healed quickly and usually without lasting consequences. At the same time the mundane medical sciences - the arts practiced by [[Surgical_skills#Physick|physicks]] - have been refined and developed over centuries. Even without herbs a skilled physician can heal injuries, repair broken limbs, provide effective pain relief, and diagnose complex conditions. The Empire takes the health of its citizens seriously, with senators and priests alike regularly arguing that ensuring "''prosperity and dignity''" begins with ensuring freedom from ill health. Physicks and magical healers alike are treated with respect throughout the Empire. People still die of sickness, accidents, or violence - and death remains untreatable. There is nothing in the world of Empire that can save a character who is terminal or bring them back to life.

Imperial medicine is especially effective in the care of pregnant people and infants. Death in child birth, miscarriage, and infant mortality are rare, but not unknown, tragic events. A [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] will treat any issues during childbirth using herbs and be successful most of the time. Pregnant people are assumed to make their own decisions about what risks they want to undertake; it is considered egregious to try and tell them what they should or should not do.
<br><br>'''Medicine in Play'''<br>
By the nature of the game, most of the rules for healing are centred around treatment of wounds sustained on the battlefield. Of course, illness, disease, ageing and death are facts of life in the Empire world, just as they are in our own, but it is unlikely that a character will die from a mundane infection or illness. There are sicknesses that cannot be treated with herbs or healing magic, but they are comparatively rare, and more akin to a [[curse]] than a mundane ailment. When thinking about medicine in the Empire world, the assumption is that the average Imperial citizen enjoys a similar level of access to healthcare as a citizen of the United Kingdom in the 21st century - not a peasant in the 12th century. Some discussion of medicine in the Empire world can be found on the [[healing in Empire]] page.

This is especially true of healthcare related to pregnancy and childbirth. Miscarriage and death in pregnancy are not themes of the game - they exist in the setting so that players who need to refer to them for real world reasons can do so. Players who have not themselves had a miscarriage should be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who has experienced any kind of difficulty with childbirth. Out of character our [[Event_safety#Battle_Safety|event safety rules]] make clear that any player who is advised by a medical professional to avoid strenuous physical activity - should not participate in fighting. This means that an OOC decision to participate in any part of Empire is a matter for the player based on the medical advice they have received and is not a matter for other participants to comment on.

Bear in mind that permanent life-changing injuries are not a theme of our game because we don't want our game mechanics to trivialise these injuries. We never want a situation where someone with an out-of-character disability is asked in-character why they don't use a ritual such as [[Blood of the Hydra]] to remove their disability. This is one of the reasons our existing [[healing in Empire]] page talks about [[Spring magic]] speeding up natural healing processes rather than regenerating lost limbs or the like. Disabilities and long-lasting or permanent injuries exist in the setting but players who are not themselves disabled should be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who has any kind of long-term disability.

==Bitterweed and Contraception==
Bitterweed grows throughout the Empire and beyond, a hardy herb that seems to flourish equally well in most climates. Visually similar to fennel, it has distinct orange-red flowers and stout, succulent stems. The flowers themselves have no particular properties, but the juicy stems are extremely valuable. Bitter to the taste, they render anyone who consumes them temporarily infertile - and are equally effective on humans, orcs, and animals such as sheep and cows.

Chewed raw, a bitterweed stalk will render anyone regardless of anatomy infertile for about a week. Properly prepared and steeped in hot water, it produces an exceptionally bitter tea that can induce infertility for a season. Some apothecaries know the trick of brewing it with [[bladeroot]] to create a potent infusion that can induce infertility on a permanent basis - at least until an antidote brewed of [[Imperial Roseweald|Imperial roseweald]] and [[marrowort]] is administered. The effects of bitterweed can be washed away completely by relatively straightforward ritual magic as well - [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] for example will burn away infertility caused by using bitterweed.

While many users choose to add honey or sugar to their bitterweed tea to make it more palatable, it is effectively impossible to administer the herb to anyone without their knowledge. The unique bitter, slightly nutty taste is instantly identifiable to any adult and they can easily spit it out before swallowing it.
<br><br>'''Bitterweed and contraception in play'''<br>
In Empire, it is uncommon for someone to become pregnant or to sire a child without intending to, due to the wide availability of cheap and effective methods of herbal contraception. As a result, no player-character is ever considered to be fertile unless they want to be - the assumption is that anyone who wishes to opt out has simply been using bitterweed to ensure they are not fertile. This means that no player can be involved in baby-related plot without their explicit permission
{{CaptionedImage|file=Varushkan Spectacle.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
The herb itself is based fairly obviously on stories of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silphium silphium] - and is included mostly as an example of several similar herbs. Other forms of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_contraception medieval contraception] are also in use in the Empire world.

==Spectacles, Spyglasses, and Lenses==
Spectacles are known throughout the Empire. The best spectacles come from Urizen, but the most commonly used are produced in the League. They are a widespread, comparatively inexpensive, method of aiding poor sight. Their origins are lost in antiquity; they are known worldwide and the common belief is that they were invented in the Asavean Archipelago centuries ago.

The spyglass, by contrast, is more easily nailed down; it was invented in the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. Urizen and [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] ship captains first brought the spyglass to Imperial shores, and helped popularise it, and in conjunction with the League natural philosophers made several advances on the original design. Spyglasses are expensive, and fragile, but almost anyone who can afford a ship can afford to equip themselves with one. They are also occasionally used on battlefields, or by scouts exploring enemy positions. There are also a very few rare examples built in the mountains of Urizen that are used in the exploration of [[astronomancy]] (although even an Urizen astronomancer is just as likely to make use of an enchanted [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] bowl to study the heavens as an expensive system of lenses and prisms). They are largely seen as a practical device used by practical people rather than a tool for natural philosophers.

Magnifying glasses are also known, but they are even rarer than spyglasses due to their relative fragility. They are commonly used by scholars and natural philosophers, although anyone who performs fine work (jewellers and locksmiths for example) may make use of one. Some lens makers have experimented with making magnifying glasses out of tempest jade - properly shaped, a thin sheet of that volatile material tends to be more durable than even the finest glass.{{CaptionedImage|file=RhiSpecced.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
'''Spectacles, spyglasses, and lenses in play'''<br>
Anyone can wear glasses or spectacles. Aspirationally, something that looks a little archaic is ideal but modern glasses are a suitable phys-rep for Empire spectacles. There are even a few pairs made with smoked glass or tempest jade, designed to protect sensitive eyes from bright light. Likewise, anyone can own a spyglass or magnifying glass - although such items are not common in the general population, people who attend Anvil are assumed to be rich or influential enough to bring what they please with them.

Contact lenses do not exist - but there is a simple herbal treatment (involving eye drops) that can provide a short-lived improvement in vision that may be used to explain how someone who wears glasses is able to operate without them for short periods of time if they are OOC using contact lenses.

There are no microscopes or binoculars in Empire - such things do not exist in the setting and should not be used.

==Clocks, Clockwork, and Time==
The Grand Clocktower in [[Holberg]] - a mechanical time-keeping device on a massive scale and a unique wonder in the Empire - was built by the founders of the famous [[Holberg_spoils_of_war#Wunderkind|Wunderkind]] guild. Significantly less impressive clocktowers are found in all [[the League]] cities, and in places such as [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] and the [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|White City of Bastion]]. As understanding of clockwork has slowly advanced, smaller and smaller clocks have begun to appear. When most people think of a clock they imagine the grand mechanical devices overlooking busy squares; wealthy individuals can also afford a personal clock that they keep in their own homes. Indeed, within the last few years even smaller clocks - clocks that can be kept in a pouch or pocket - have become fashionable (although they remain quite expensive). These "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_watch pocket clocks]" are especially prevalent at Anvil, where the richest and most influential people gather.
{{CaptionedImage|file=LeagueClock.jpg|Caption=The League plaza clock in Anvil.|align=right|width=450}}
During summits, clocks are used to help regiment the day. Meetings are organised using an agreed on sequence of hours based on the Grand Clocktower in Holberg. An hour is sixty minutes, and for most people progresses in "half hour" increments - anything smaller is generally unnecessary. Only the [[Imperial Conclave]] really worries about partitions of time smaller than half an hour. Indeed, most people tell the time by looking at the sky, and judging whether it is morning, afternoon, evening, or night.

Clocks are not the only method of measuring the passage of time, and they are not cheap. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices#Sundials Sundials], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices#Candle_clocks candle clocks], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hourglass sand clocks], and water clocks (especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_clock#Greco-Roman_world Greco-Roman versions]) are all common devices used throughout the Empire to measure the passage of time.

Clockwork has also found other applications; clockwork music boxes and mechanical toys are popular, if expensive, diversions for the wealthy. They tend to be unique items, patiently created by skilled crafters, and are by no means common. They often incorporate gears and springs made from alloys of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]], [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]], [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]], and mithril.
<br><br>'''Clockwork in Play'''<br>
Clockwork is mostly employed for making clocks and one-of-a-kind, luxurious toys. Ideally, clocks should be bulky and try to capture the aesthetic of the appropriate nation - for example a Wintermark clock may bear runes, an Urizen clock might include mirrors or lights, and a Varushkan clock may be kept carefully in a locked wooden box. Pocket clocks (pocket watches) likewise should ideally look more archaic than the traditional Victorian or Edwardian model. Wristwatches as not appropriate for in-character use at Empire.

Appropriate toys include music boxes, and the occasional wind up model that moves or performs a simple action. In the Empire setting, clockwork is utterly incapable of providing motive power to large moving objects, nor can it be used to make complex machinery; this remains a medieval fantasy setting so elements of steampunk or brasspunk are not permitted.

==Runeboxes and Runebound Chains==
Artisans make a variety of mundane items to protect the valuables of their clients, but two extremely popular items are ''runeboxes'' and ''runebound chains''. Developed recently in Wintermark, their construction uses a combination of expensive materials (either weirwood or mithril alloys), and runes such as [[Diras]] and [[Verys]]. When complete, these items are practically indestructible. While It is possible to destroy such a box or a chain, it requires several hours smashing the item to pieces making a tremendous noise and utterly destroying any contents in the process. While such boxes and chains are expensive, and not common, anyone who attends Anvil is assumed to be able to afford to purchase or create them to secure their own valuables.
<br><br>'''Runeboxes and runebound chains in play'''<br>
The [[Stealing|rules for in-character theft]] prohibit the theft of most items in Empire, however it is still possible to steal a gold-ribboned item. If a player's tent includes a wooden or metal box or a metal chain then you must assume that they are virtually indestructible. This means that any solid box which is locked cannot be opened in game without the key or a mundane way to pick the lock. If the box is chained to the tent then it cannot be removed.

Theft is against our rules, but we still recommend that you secure your valuables carefully if you can, and we encourage everyone to use good looking props where possible. The best Wintermark runeboxes are marked with the runes [[Verys]] and [[Diras]] to make them as strong as possible.

==Flashpowder and Fireworks==
Flashpowder, and similar theatrical substances, are used across the Empire in stage-shows, especially in the League and Brass Coast. It is often used to great effect in rituals - and not just those employing [[dramaturgy]]. It is not cheap, but neither is it a great expense - most professional stage magicians, actors, or ritualists can lay their hands on a quantity.

Fireworks also exist - from sparklers to rockets that create short-lived, glowing flowers in the night sky. The best fireworks in the Empire are made in the Brass Coast, and employ a fine dust made from ground [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]. Fireworks come in a variety of forms and colours, but they are expensive - they are a luxury item used on special occasions. Fireworks are useless as weapons - experiments have proved that the material in fireworks provides a lot of sound and light, but almost no force and relatively little heat.
<br><br>'''Flashpowder and fireworks in play'''<br>
Fireworks exist, but gunpowder does not. There are no rockets or guns in the Empire world.

There are strict rules governing pyrotechnics at events, as detailed in our rules for [[Weapon_checking#Banned_items|banned items]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=WoodlandPath.jpg|align=right|title=A trod rarely travels in a straight line for long.|caption=Some trods are roads, others winding paths.|width=250}}

==Trods, Roads, and Ox-carts==
The Empire world lacks [[horse|horses]], but traders and travellers alike make use of [[Mundane_beasts#Oxen|oxen]] to pull wagons and carts. Riding is largely a forgotten, semi-mythical art. Outside of creatures of the Realms, people don't really entertain the idea of riding animals. In particular, mounted cavalry is unknown in the modern Empire world (and even in the past were mostly unknown outside of the Empire). Some nations such as the barbarian orcs and the Jarmish princes make use of elephants, dire rhinos, and similar large creatures as mobile siege engines, but such things are rare, and large creatures expensive to raise, train, and maintain.

The Empire is covered by a network of roads, haphazardly built up over centuries to connect population centres. Their quality varies extensively from the carefully laid and hearth magic enhanced [[Varushkan Road|highways]] of [[Varushka]] to the partially paved roads of the Marches. A [[great work]] begun in Spring 380YE called the [[Construct_the_Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] seeks to link all four [[the League|League]] cities with major highways - although they are not due to be completed until 382YE at the earliest.

When people travel from one part of the Empire to another, they are just as likely to make use of the [[trods]] for part or all of their journey. These magical routes are a side effect of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], a potent Spring ritual used by the [[Navarr]] to weaken the [[Vallorn]]. These routes are useful because the energy that thrums through them provides strength that allows them to be walked continuously for many hours without a break, and quickly revitalize resting travellers. Their drawback is that they are even more haphazard than the roads, and their layout cannot be dictated. Trods meander and twist, irrespective of the location of towns or villages, and a traveller must weigh the advantages of moving quickly against the difficulty of finding a trod that goes where they want to go. It is more common for someone undertaking a journey to take advantage of trods that are moving them in the right direction and then break off and use a mundane road the rest of the time.

Even if they did go in straight lines, due to their magical nature it is very difficult to build roads along trods - the energies infuse local vegetation that quickly reclaims any attempt to create a flat road using crushed stone or rock. Fortunately the magic usually means this is not necessary, the magic of the trods ensures they rarely become impassable with mud except in the most treacherous of conditions. Instead, where a trod sees heavy traffic by wagons, the focus is on keeping the way clear, removing any trees that begin to sprout and cutting back the undergrowth.

On the large Empire maps, major trods are usually depicted as a low of footsteps. Where a road runs along a trod, it represents a wide cleared route suitable for ox carts rather than anything a [[Varushka|Varushkan]] for example would recognise as "a road". The Navarr (and now the Grey Pilgrims) often devote part of their day walking a trod to ensuring it is free from vegetation that might impede travellers.
<br><br>'''Trods and transport in play'''<br>
We assume that anyone attending Anvil can do so regardless of where they live in the Empire - that it takes no more than perhaps a fortnight of travel to get there and back again. How precisely this happens is below the abstraction layer, but the trods provide one potential explanation. The trods are of great importance to the Navarr nation, and are covered in more detail [[trods|here]].

It is worth noting that, aside from the [[Sentinel Gate]] which has a specific role to play in the game, [[Ritual_theory#Teleportation|instantaneous travel]] is essentially impossible in the Empire world.

==Groveblossom and Changing Gender==
Some people in the Empire do not call themselves male or female - a historical example is [[Empress_Mariika#Tekupala|Tekupala]], who is recorded in various sources as a man or a woman or as neither. Others, like [[the Little Mother]], choose to change the gender they express themselves as during their lifetime, and often the fact of this change is not much remarked upon in history compared to such important facts as the [[glory]] of their deeds or the [[The_Way#The_Paths_of_Virtue|virtue]] they demonstrated. When celebrating a new child, a family often chooses to assign a gender to the newborn; but this is never at the expense of the child’s right to express themselves as they wish throughout their life.

Some individuals who choose to change their gender expression also decide they wish to pursue physical changes. The herb ''groveblossom'' is often used to aid in this. Native to the groves of [[Kallavesa]], it can now be found across the Empire. It is easy to prepare properly, in a variety of ways, and so it is never hard for those who want to benefit from it to do so.

Depending on how it is prepared, groveblossom can cause an increase in conventionally male attributes like hair growth across the body, a deepening of the voice and a sharpening of facial appearance, or an increase in conventionally female attributes such as breast growth, softer skin and a reduction in body hair. The herb is taken regularly over a period of time, and changes occur gradually - the exact effects of groveblossom are unpredictable in pace and scale, and are very dependent on the particular physiology of the person taking it. When they do occur, the changes caused by groveblossom are long-lasting and difficult to reverse.

'''Groveblossom in play'''<br>
Empire by intent is a setting which excludes any form of gender discrimination. Characters in the world of Empire do not make assumptions nor treat differently other characters based on their gender expression. Groveblossom is intended to help give some IC context for the hormone therapy that, in the real world, many (although by no means all) trans people undergo as part of their transition. The effects of them are unpredictable because in the real world, hormone therapy can be hard to access and have quite different results from person-to-person.

It is easy for characters in Empire to access groveblossom treatment with these herbs, and it is assumed that any character who wants to can do so. However, they are included in our game as a way for trans people who wish to play characters who are also trans to do so; we would ask players who are not themselves trans to be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who expresses gender variance. In addition, there is no requirement for a trans player to play a character who is trans; for this reason, please do not comment on other character’s use of these herbs unprompted, especially if you have some assumption about the player of that character.

Many trans people in real life also undergo one or more forms of gender confirmation surgery. Such surgeries are also available within the world of Empire, but are outside the scope of what should occur in uptime; in the game world as in real life, they are a personal, private matter.

==Further Reading==
* [[Healing in Empire]] talks about the practice of medicine in the Empire world
[[Category:The Game]]

Technology

2025-10-14T09:32:56Z

Rosemary: /* Literacy and Numeracy */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Lightstones.jpg|align=right|caption=Lightstones are just one of the discoveries that sets Empire apart from the real world.|width=600}}
==Overview==
While the basic technology of the game is aimed at a magical-medieval tone, there are a few things that go beyond the historical equivalents in the setting. This page lays out some of the important elements of common technology in the Empire that distinguish the setting from historical Europe. Most of these additions are designed to provide in-character explanations for real world technology - to make the setting fit the game better.

It is important to note that Empire is ''not'' a game of technological exploration - technological advancement and invention are not themes of the game. This means that you cannot invent binoculars by putting two spyglasses together - this is against the spirit of the game and would fail if you tried it. Substances like gunpowder are not part of our setting and cannot be researched or discovered.

==Lightstones==
Lightstone is an uncommon crystalline mineral mined primarily in the peaks of [[Urizen]], although there are also small deposits in the mountains of [[Kahraman]], [[Wintermark]], and [[Varushka]]. In its natural state, it is translucent and may be mistaken for a form of [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]. When properly cut and polished, however, the unique property of the lightstone is revealed; the stone glows, producing light without heat.

The size, shape, and quality of the stone affect the amount of light given off. The Urizen have discovered that the best shape for worked lightstone is a sphere - dramatically increasing the amount of light given off. In almost all cases, they have noted an inverse relationship between the size of the stone and the amount of light given off - smaller stones tend to produce more light than larger stones. There are exceptions, of course - but any lightstone larger than a few inches across that provides significant light is rare enough to be practically unique.
__TOC__
The Urizen are masters of working with and using lightstone. For example, they pioneered a process whereby lightstone can be treated with a carefully prepared solution of beggar's lye, iridescent gloaming, and ambergelt that causes the light of the stone to become tinted - most commonly blue, green, or red. Likewise, they are adept at combining lightstone with polished mirrors to focus or direct the light the stone provides. Urizen lanterns are very much in demand by miners (they are much safer to use underground than naked flames) and by sailors (no amount of water extinguishes a lightstone). Properly cared for, they can provide light for decades or (in rare cases) centuries without dimming.<br><br>
'''Lightstones in play'''<br>
Lightstones are a justification to use modern lighting in the field. Modern LED lights, in particular, are particularly useful in LRP, and while a modern torch isn't appropriate in the setting, you can buy cool looking LED lanterns or make your own. The ideal phys-rep for a lightstone will have something to diffuse the light, to further hide its modern character.

==Printing Press==
In the Empire, the first printing presses were designed and built in [[Tassato#Tassato Regario|Tassato Regario]] and the first presses were employed here printing religious tracts, scholarly treatises and political manifestos. Today, the device is known throughout the Empire and beyond (it is popular in the [[Commonwealth]], while other foreign nations largely view it as an amusing novelty). Many presses, especially the smaller ones, still use the original woodcut block [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_press screw-press], but in the last thirty years or so a handful of printers (mostly in the League) have begun to explore the miracle of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movable_type movable type].

The art of printing is still closely associated with [[the League]] in many minds. Easily three-fifths of all printing in the Empire takes place in [[Tassato]], where rival printing houses compete for customers and work to explore new innovations such as colour, and the recreation of line drawings (although as to the latter several houses are now experimenting with acid etching and similar techniques to reproduce images - the innovative spirit of the League in action). Printing houses allow for a volume of trade that helps to keep the actual costs involved relatively low - it is reasonably common for visitors to Anvil to encounter printed pamphlets, fliers, posters, and the like. By comparison, printed books are uncommon - and even then they tend to be on the short side.
<br><br>'''Printing presses in play'''<br>
The printing press exists to allow players to use word processors and printers rather than doing everything by hand. Producing a pile of pamphlets, fliers, or posters is something anyone can do; there are also player groups who roleplay that they run printing houses, and are usually happy to let a player add their "stamp of approval" to any printing they might do. Printed books, on the other hand, are not common - they exist but they tend to be slim volumes rather than thick novels, and tend to have a limited print run. This reflects the fact that it is much easier for players and plot-writers to produce a short pamphlet than an entire book.

==Literacy and Numeracy==
Since the time of [[Emperor Giovanni]], the Empire has prided itself on providing every citizen with access to education in reading, writing, and numeracy. Not everyone is literate to the same degree; conditions like dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dyspraxia are well-known in the Empire. This level of education is not the standard for the entire world - while the Commonwealth matches the Empire in its commitment to basic education, other nations are a lot more haphazard in their approach. In many parts of the world, the ability to read and write is rare outside the privileged classes.

In terms of mathematics, the Empire is quite advanced compared to the medieval world. Algebra and geometry are well understood, and some scholars (especially in Urizen) explore the world of numbers with a similar fervour to that with which wizards study the realm of magic.
<br><br>'''Literacy and numeracy in play'''<br>
Illiteracy of Imperial citizens is not a significant theme of roleplay at Empire. Dyslexia are included in our setting as a way for dyslexic players to play dyslexic characters if they wish to do so (and likewise for dyscalculia and similar). We would ask players who are not themselves dyslexic to be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who experiences literacy difficulties

Books should be phys-repped with an actual book, but that isn't always possible and there are accessibility reasons why someone might need to use an alternative. There are no "magic books" in Empire, but a player who needs to use a tablet to access the wiki or help with things like ritual calculations can do so. Players should make every effort to disguise it as a physical, mundane book. Be aware that while nobody will have any in-character reason to take the item, it [[Playing_the_game#Stealing_Items_in_Anvil|may be inadvertently taken]] if it is stored in an in-character bag with other belongings.

Because these devices represent physical books in character, we ask that players only use them where there is an access need and check them as briefly and discreetly as possible. If you need to store documents and information that is not on the wiki then please also provide a printed copy for other players who need to read the information. This ensures that another character can flick through the text and discover any secret or hidden information contained therein - which is not possible with another participant's electronic device.

==Medicine==
The world of Empire has significant magical healing. The five magical [[herbs]] and spells such as [[heal]], [[purify]], and [[restore limb]] mean that many injuries or illnesses that might otherwise be fatal or life-changing can be healed quickly and usually without lasting consequences. At the same time the mundane medical sciences - the arts practiced by [[Surgical_skills#Physick|physicks]] - have been refined and developed over centuries. Even without herbs a skilled physician can heal injuries, repair broken limbs, provide effective pain relief, and diagnose complex conditions. The Empire takes the health of its citizens seriously, with senators and priests alike regularly arguing that ensuring "''prosperity and dignity''" begins with ensuring freedom from ill health. Physicks and magical healers alike are treated with respect throughout the Empire. People still die of sickness, accidents, or violence - and death remains untreatable. There is nothing in the world of Empire that can save a character who is terminal or bring them back to life.

Imperial medicine is especially effective in the care of pregnant people and infants. Death in child birth, miscarriage, and infant mortality are rare, but not unknown, tragic events. A [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] will treat any issues during childbirth using herbs and be successful most of the time. Pregnant people are assumed to make their own decisions about what risks they want to undertake; it is considered egregious to try and tell them what they should or should not do.
<br><br>'''Medicine in Play'''<br>
By the nature of the game, most of the rules for healing are centred around treatment of wounds sustained on the battlefield. Of course, illness, disease, ageing and death are facts of life in the Empire world, just as they are in our own, but it is unlikely that a character will die from a mundane infection or illness. There are sicknesses that cannot be treated with herbs or healing magic, but they are comparatively rare, and more akin to a [[curse]] than a mundane ailment. When thinking about medicine in the Empire world, the assumption is that the average Imperial citizen enjoys a similar level of access to healthcare as a citizen of the United Kingdom in the 21st century - not a peasant in the 12th century. Some discussion of medicine in the Empire world can be found on the [[healing in Empire]] page.

This is especially true of healthcare related to pregnancy and childbirth. Miscarriage and death in pregnancy are not themes of the game - they exist in the setting so that players who need to refer to them for real world reasons can do so. Players who have not themselves had a miscarriage should be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who has experienced any kind of difficulty with childbirth. Out of character our [[Event_safety#Battle_Safety|event safety rules]] make clear that any player who is advised by a medical professional to avoid strenuous physical activity - should not participate in fighting. This means that an OOC decision to participate in any part of Empire is a matter for the player based on the medical advice they have received and is not a matter for other participants to comment on.

Bear in mind that permanent life-changing injuries are not a theme of our game because we don't want our game mechanics to trivialise these injuries. We never want a situation where someone with an out-of-character disability is asked in-character why they don't use a ritual such as [[Blood of the Hydra]] to remove their disability. This is one of the reasons our existing [[healing in Empire]] page talks about [[Spring magic]] speeding up natural healing processes rather than regenerating lost limbs or the like. Disabilities and long-lasting or permanent injuries exist in the setting but players who are not themselves disabled should be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who has any kind of long-term disability.

==Bitterweed and Contraception==
Bitterweed grows throughout the Empire and beyond, a hardy herb that seems to flourish equally well in most climates. Visually similar to fennel, it has distinct orange-red flowers and stout, succulent stems. The flowers themselves have no particular properties, but the juicy stems are extremely valuable. Bitter to the taste, they render anyone who consumes them temporarily infertile - and are equally effective on humans, orcs, and animals such as sheep and cows.

Chewed raw, a bitterweed stalk will render anyone regardless of anatomy infertile for about a week. Properly prepared and steeped in hot water, it produces an exceptionally bitter tea that can induce infertility for a season. Some apothecaries know the trick of brewing it with [[bladeroot]] to create a potent infusion that can induce infertility on a permanent basis - at least until an antidote brewed of [[Imperial Roseweald|Imperial roseweald]] and [[marrowort]] is administered. The effects of bitterweed can be washed away completely by relatively straightforward ritual magic as well - [[Fan the Flame of New Life]] for example will burn away infertility caused by using bitterweed.

While many users choose to add honey or sugar to their bitterweed tea to make it more palatable, it is effectively impossible to administer the herb to anyone without their knowledge. The unique bitter, slightly nutty taste is instantly identifiable to any adult and they can easily spit it out before swallowing it.
<br><br>'''Bitterweed and contraception in play'''<br>
In Empire, it is uncommon for someone to become pregnant or to sire a child without intending to, due to the wide availability of cheap and effective methods of herbal contraception. As a result, no player-character is ever considered to be fertile unless they want to be - the assumption is that anyone who wishes to opt out has simply been using bitterweed to ensure they are not fertile. This means that no player can be involved in baby-related plot without their explicit permission
{{CaptionedImage|file=Varushkan Spectacle.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
The herb itself is based fairly obviously on stories of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silphium silphium] - and is included mostly as an example of several similar herbs. Other forms of [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medieval_contraception medieval contraception] are also in use in the Empire world.

==Spectacles, Spyglasses, and Lenses==
Spectacles are known throughout the Empire. The best spectacles come from Urizen, but the most commonly used are produced in the League. They are a widespread, comparatively inexpensive, method of aiding poor sight. Their origins are lost in antiquity; they are known worldwide and the common belief is that they were invented in the Asavean Archipelago centuries ago.

The spyglass, by contrast, is more easily nailed down; it was invented in the [[Sarcophan Delves]]. Urizen and [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] ship captains first brought the spyglass to Imperial shores, and helped popularise it, and in conjunction with the League natural philosophers made several advances on the original design. Spyglasses are expensive, and fragile, but almost anyone who can afford a ship can afford to equip themselves with one. They are also occasionally used on battlefields, or by scouts exploring enemy positions. There are also a very few rare examples built in the mountains of Urizen that are used in the exploration of [[astronomancy]] (although even an Urizen astronomancer is just as likely to make use of an enchanted [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]] bowl to study the heavens as an expensive system of lenses and prisms). They are largely seen as a practical device used by practical people rather than a tool for natural philosophers.

Magnifying glasses are also known, but they are even rarer than spyglasses due to their relative fragility. They are commonly used by scholars and natural philosophers, although anyone who performs fine work (jewellers and locksmiths for example) may make use of one. Some lens makers have experimented with making magnifying glasses out of tempest jade - properly shaped, a thin sheet of that volatile material tends to be more durable than even the finest glass.{{CaptionedImage|file=RhiSpecced.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
'''Spectacles, spyglasses, and lenses in play'''<br>
Anyone can wear glasses or spectacles. Aspirationally, something that looks a little archaic is ideal but modern glasses are a suitable phys-rep for Empire spectacles. There are even a few pairs made with smoked glass or tempest jade, designed to protect sensitive eyes from bright light. Likewise, anyone can own a spyglass or magnifying glass - although such items are not common in the general population, people who attend Anvil are assumed to be rich or influential enough to bring what they please with them.

Contact lenses do not exist - but there is a simple herbal treatment (involving eye drops) that can provide a short-lived improvement in vision that may be used to explain how someone who wears glasses is able to operate without them for short periods of time if they are OOC using contact lenses.

There are no microscopes or binoculars in Empire - such things do not exist in the setting and should not be used.

==Clocks, Clockwork, and Time==
The Grand Clocktower in [[Holberg]] - a mechanical time-keeping device on a massive scale and a unique wonder in the Empire - was built by the founders of the famous [[Holberg_spoils_of_war#Wunderkind|Wunderkind]] guild. Significantly less impressive clocktowers are found in all [[the League]] cities, and in places such as [[Mitwold#Meade|Meade]] and the [[Bastion#Bastion.2C_the_White_City|White City of Bastion]]. As understanding of clockwork has slowly advanced, smaller and smaller clocks have begun to appear. When most people think of a clock they imagine the grand mechanical devices overlooking busy squares; wealthy individuals can also afford a personal clock that they keep in their own homes. Indeed, within the last few years even smaller clocks - clocks that can be kept in a pouch or pocket - have become fashionable (although they remain quite expensive). These "[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocket_watch pocket clocks]" are especially prevalent at Anvil, where the richest and most influential people gather.
{{CaptionedImage|file=LeagueClock.jpg|Caption=The League plaza clock in Anvil.|align=right|width=450}}
During summits, clocks are used to help regiment the day. Meetings are organised using an agreed on sequence of hours based on the Grand Clocktower in Holberg. An hour is sixty minutes, and for most people progresses in "half hour" increments - anything smaller is generally unnecessary. Only the [[Imperial Conclave]] really worries about partitions of time smaller than half an hour. Indeed, most people tell the time by looking at the sky, and judging whether it is morning, afternoon, evening, or night.

Clocks are not the only method of measuring the passage of time, and they are not cheap. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices#Sundials Sundials], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_timekeeping_devices#Candle_clocks candle clocks], [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hourglass sand clocks], and water clocks (especially [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_clock#Greco-Roman_world Greco-Roman versions]) are all common devices used throughout the Empire to measure the passage of time.

Clockwork has also found other applications; clockwork music boxes and mechanical toys are popular, if expensive, diversions for the wealthy. They tend to be unique items, patiently created by skilled crafters, and are by no means common. They often incorporate gears and springs made from alloys of [[Materials#Orichalcum|orichalcum]], [[Materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]], [[Materials#Green Iron|green iron]], and mithril.
<br><br>'''Clockwork in Play'''<br>
Clockwork is mostly employed for making clocks and one-of-a-kind, luxurious toys. Ideally, clocks should be bulky and try to capture the aesthetic of the appropriate nation - for example a Wintermark clock may bear runes, an Urizen clock might include mirrors or lights, and a Varushkan clock may be kept carefully in a locked wooden box. Pocket clocks (pocket watches) likewise should ideally look more archaic than the traditional Victorian or Edwardian model. Wristwatches as not appropriate for in-character use at Empire.

Appropriate toys include music boxes, and the occasional wind up model that moves or performs a simple action. In the Empire setting, clockwork is utterly incapable of providing motive power to large moving objects, nor can it be used to make complex machinery; this remains a medieval fantasy setting so elements of steampunk or brasspunk are not permitted.

==Runeboxes and Runebound Chains==
Artisans make a variety of mundane items to protect the valuables of their clients, but two extremely popular items are ''runeboxes'' and ''runebound chains''. Developed recently in Wintermark, their construction uses a combination of expensive materials (either weirwood or mithril alloys), and runes such as [[Diras]] and [[Verys]]. When complete, these items are practically indestructible. While It is possible to destroy such a box or a chain, it requires several hours smashing the item to pieces making a tremendous noise and utterly destroying any contents in the process. While such boxes and chains are expensive, and not common, anyone who attends Anvil is assumed to be able to afford to purchase or create them to secure their own valuables.
<br><br>'''Runeboxes and runebound chains in play'''<br>
The [[Stealing|rules for in-character theft]] prohibit the theft of most items in Empire, however it is still possible to steal a gold-ribboned item. If a player's tent includes a wooden or metal box or a metal chain then you must assume that they are virtually indestructible. This means that any solid box which is locked cannot be opened in game without the key or a mundane way to pick the lock. If the box is chained to the tent then it cannot be removed.

Theft is against our rules, but we still recommend that you secure your valuables carefully if you can, and we encourage everyone to use good looking props where possible. The best Wintermark runeboxes are marked with the runes [[Verys]] and [[Diras]] to make them as strong as possible.

==Flashpowder and Fireworks==
Flashpowder, and similar theatrical substances, are used across the Empire in stage-shows, especially in the League and Brass Coast. It is often used to great effect in rituals - and not just those employing [[dramaturgy]]. It is not cheap, but neither is it a great expense - most professional stage magicians, actors, or ritualists can lay their hands on a quantity.

Fireworks also exist - from sparklers to rockets that create short-lived, glowing flowers in the night sky. The best fireworks in the Empire are made in the Brass Coast, and employ a fine dust made from ground [[Materials#Tempest Jade|tempest jade]]. Fireworks come in a variety of forms and colours, but they are expensive - they are a luxury item used on special occasions. Fireworks are useless as weapons - experiments have proved that the material in fireworks provides a lot of sound and light, but almost no force and relatively little heat.
<br><br>'''Flashpowder and fireworks in play'''<br>
Fireworks exist, but gunpowder does not. There are no rockets or guns in the Empire world.

There are strict rules governing pyrotechnics at events, as detailed in our rules for [[Weapon_checking#Banned_items|banned items]].
{{CaptionedImage|file=WoodlandPath.jpg|align=right|title=A trod rarely travels in a straight line for long.|caption=Some trods are roads, others winding paths.|width=250}}

==Trods, Roads, and Ox-carts==
The Empire world lacks [[horse|horses]], but traders and travellers alike make use of [[Mundane_beasts#Oxen|oxen]] to pull wagons and carts. Riding is largely a forgotten, semi-mythical art. Outside of creatures of the Realms, people don't really entertain the idea of riding animals. In particular, mounted cavalry is unknown in the modern Empire world (and even in the past were mostly unknown outside of the Empire). Some nations such as the barbarian orcs and the Jarmish princes make use of elephants, dire rhinos, and similar large creatures as mobile siege engines, but such things are rare, and large creatures expensive to raise, train, and maintain.

The Empire is covered by a network of roads, haphazardly built up over centuries to connect population centres. Their quality varies extensively from the carefully laid and hearth magic enhanced [[Varushkan Road|highways]] of [[Varushka]] to the partially paved roads of the Marches. A [[great work]] begun in Spring 380YE called the [[Construct_the_Blood_Red_Roads|Blood Red Roads]] seeks to link all four [[the League|League]] cities with major highways - although they are not due to be completed until 382YE at the earliest.

When people travel from one part of the Empire to another, they are just as likely to make use of the [[trods]] for part or all of their journey. These magical routes are a side effect of [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]], a potent Spring ritual used by the [[Navarr]] to weaken the [[Vallorn]]. These routes are useful because the energy that thrums through them provides strength that allows them to be walked continuously for many hours without a break, and quickly revitalize resting travellers. Their drawback is that they are even more haphazard than the roads, and their layout cannot be dictated. Trods meander and twist, irrespective of the location of towns or villages, and a traveller must weigh the advantages of moving quickly against the difficulty of finding a trod that goes where they want to go. It is more common for someone undertaking a journey to take advantage of trods that are moving them in the right direction and then break off and use a mundane road the rest of the time.

Even if they did go in straight lines, due to their magical nature it is very difficult to build roads along trods - the energies infuse local vegetation that quickly reclaims any attempt to create a flat road using crushed stone or rock. Fortunately the magic usually means this is not necessary, the magic of the trods ensures they rarely become impassable with mud except in the most treacherous of conditions. Instead, where a trod sees heavy traffic by wagons, the focus is on keeping the way clear, removing any trees that begin to sprout and cutting back the undergrowth.

On the large Empire maps, major trods are usually depicted as a low of footsteps. Where a road runs along a trod, it represents a wide cleared route suitable for ox carts rather than anything a [[Varushka|Varushkan]] for example would recognise as "a road". The Navarr (and now the Grey Pilgrims) often devote part of their day walking a trod to ensuring it is free from vegetation that might impede travellers.
<br><br>'''Trods and transport in play'''<br>
We assume that anyone attending Anvil can do so regardless of where they live in the Empire - that it takes no more than perhaps a fortnight of travel to get there and back again. How precisely this happens is below the abstraction layer, but the trods provide one potential explanation. The trods are of great importance to the Navarr nation, and are covered in more detail [[trods|here]].

It is worth noting that, aside from the [[Sentinel Gate]] which has a specific role to play in the game, [[Ritual_theory#Teleportation|instantaneous travel]] is essentially impossible in the Empire world.

==Groveblossom and Changing Gender==
Some people in the Empire do not call themselves male or female - a historical example is [[Empress_Mariika#Tekupala|Tekupala]], who is recorded in various sources as a man or a woman or as neither. Others, like [[the Little Mother]], choose to change the gender they express themselves as during their lifetime, and often the fact of this change is not much remarked upon in history compared to such important facts as the [[glory]] of their deeds or the [[The_Way#The_Paths_of_Virtue|virtue]] they demonstrated. When celebrating a new child, a family often chooses to assign a gender to the newborn; but this is never at the expense of the child’s right to express themselves as they wish throughout their life.

Some individuals who choose to change their gender expression also decide they wish to pursue physical changes. The herb ''groveblossom'' is often used to aid in this. Native to the groves of [[Kallavesa]], it can now be found across the Empire. It is easy to prepare properly, in a variety of ways, and so it is never hard for those who want to benefit from it to do so.

Depending on how it is prepared, groveblossom can cause an increase in conventionally male attributes like hair growth across the body, a deepening of the voice and a sharpening of facial appearance, or an increase in conventionally female attributes such as breast growth, softer skin and a reduction in body hair. The herb is taken regularly over a period of time, and changes occur gradually - the exact effects of groveblossom are unpredictable in pace and scale, and are very dependent on the particular physiology of the person taking it. When they do occur, the changes caused by groveblossom are long-lasting and difficult to reverse.

'''Groveblossom in play'''<br>
Empire by intent is a setting which excludes any form of gender discrimination. Characters in the world of Empire do not make assumptions nor treat differently other characters based on their gender expression. Groveblossom is intended to help give some IC context for the hormone therapy that, in the real world, many (although by no means all) trans people undergo as part of their transition. The effects of them are unpredictable because in the real world, hormone therapy can be hard to access and have quite different results from person-to-person.

It is easy for characters in Empire to access groveblossom treatment with these herbs, and it is assumed that any character who wants to can do so. However, they are included in our game as a way for trans people who wish to play characters who are also trans to do so; we would ask players who are not themselves trans to be sensitive to the experiences of others and think carefully about playing a character who expresses gender variance. In addition, there is no requirement for a trans player to play a character who is trans; for this reason, please do not comment on other character’s use of these herbs unprompted, especially if you have some assumption about the player of that character.

Many trans people in real life also undergo one or more forms of gender confirmation surgery. Such surgeries are also available within the world of Empire, but are outside the scope of what should occur in uptime; in the game world as in real life, they are a personal, private matter.

==Further Reading==
* [[Healing in Empire]] talks about the practice of medicine in the Empire world
[[Category:The Game]]

387YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2025-09-23T07:40:56Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 62 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Autumn]]
==Overview==
During the Autumn Equinox 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised TBC judgements.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| TBC
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 8
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 3
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 6
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 17
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 22
|-
|}
</div>
==Statement of Principle==

==Mandate==
Eight [[mandate|mandates]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Herminius of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' Mercy is weakness. Mercy shows the enemy your limits. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all Loyal Urizeni to hunt down the Disciples of Sulemaine and show them the blade. Find your enemy's limits and go beyond them
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (66-0)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Gwen Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is finding the right question. We send Gwen Tendfallen with 50 doses of liao to encourage devotees of Wisdom to carefully investigate false virtues. Test what we learn about malign spiritual auras is the highest calling of this assembly
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (128-236)
__TOC__
===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out the poison! We send Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka with 75 doses of liao to urge Varushkans to move against those who would spread blasphemy and heresy. Tolerate no folly and guide the law's hand to inflict the punishment that has been earned.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (360-0)

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun
* '''Judgement:''' Captains of Urizen! There is a poison in our fields. The Disciples of Sulemaine threaten by spreading the Blasphemy of Hatred, an idea long since tested and discarded as lacking. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all to go forth and excise this pestilence from our home.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (258-0)

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Cosimo Argyra
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without! The Silent Manse in the Sarcophan Enclave is a spiritual threat to the wellbeing of all. The only way to avoid blasphemy and heresy is to have nothing to do with this profane temple. We send Cosimo Argyra with 25 doses of liao to urge all Imperial citizens planning to visit the estates to express only polite and civil disinterest in their unvirtuous religion.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The meeting hall at Gull Island will be completed for the Winter Solstice. Yet until a meeting has taken place there it is just a hall. We send Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark with 25 doses of liao to spread word of the Hall both in Wintermark and in the lands of the Jotun. Let the Ghodi bring their people to join with the folk of Wintermark to see what bridge may be built.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Torin
* '''Judgement:''' We send Eevi of the Gadrai with 5 doses of liao to urge those who know Valdr Grieversonn well to encourage him to talk to the Assembly
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. We send Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic with 25 doses of liao to urge Wintermarkers and Varushkans to work together to seek out and oppose the false Virtues at every turn. Let us seek out the poison in our neighbours fields.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (292-0)

==Writ of Consecration==
One [[writ of consecration]] was presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Alfredo Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' In the days before the Empire, the Jotun and Wintermark erected a stone, which became known simply as the Meeting Place. For many generations Jotun and Empire could meet there, be Loyal to their values and bind themselves with oaths - over time a hall grew up on the site and honour and virtue flowed from it. In recent times that hall was destroyed and the stone smashed. Ignominious death and dishonour have abounded between Jotun and Imperials since. Now at last, the Empire and Jotun have jointly rebuilt the feasting hall and wish to call it the Meeting Place once more. This is a place of Honour and Virtue, a place to be Loyal to our values, ourselves, the oaths we swear and the treaties we sign. Having sought the Jotun's agreement, I ask the Assembly for a Writ of Consecration, to dedicate part of the site to Loyalty using a dose of True Liao donated by Erland, in the hope the Jotun accept this offer in the spirit it is intended.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (412-26)

==Revocation==

==Challenge==

==Inquisition==

==Sanction==

==Recognition==
Three [[recognition|recognitions]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Edmund
* '''Judgement:''' Tom Drake, Exemplar of Loyalty. Inspiration - the Drakes still fight in his name! Legacy - founded the Military Council! Salvation - Fought Alderei the Fair, dying to save Varushka and the Empire! Benevolence - sacrificed his pride for the sovereignty of the Marches, and all Imperial nations! Through times of great change, Tom Drake remained always Loyal and devoted to the Marches.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1280-162)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tarquinius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' While it has not been raised since at least before Britta, the law is clear that the Synod has the option to recognise a person in this fashion if they truly deserve it. I name Fintan Nighthaven as a false Exemplar of Peace. His choices make it clear what the path of peace looks like and where it leads. The signs are not required or expected to recognise an exemplar of a false virtue, but his actions have been impactful at the level of legacy (obtaining ilium and true liao to create a peace relic) or inspiration (arranging the peace hallows for our cardinals)
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (620-210)

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Nisha Strascovich
* '''Judgement:''' Starac Orzel is a living Exemplar of Pride and strong enough in mind, body and virtue to carry this weight. Liberation: Starac's selfless sacrifice, repeatedly facing death for the Empire, could be viewed as transcending mortal ties - readiness for spiritual liberation. Recognition: Starac has been repeatedly honoured in key Imperial roles, Gatekeeper, Quartermaster, General, Field Marshal, Battle Mage of Dawn and Voice of Varushka. His is success in war, diplomacy, and magic make him a shining example of Imperial Virtue. Benevolence: Starac saved the children of Dark Heart, prevented unnecessary bloodshed, made reforms as quartermaster improving military budgets, ensured equitable access to Summer ritual and funded the Statue of Eleonaris himself when Imperial funds were short benefiting the Empire. Inspiration: Starac is celebrated for inspiring troops to persevere at Holberg, earning him the Equine Rod from Barien and raising national morale. His creative efforts have enriched Imperial culture and spirit, and his influence reaches from motivating Dawn in Anvil to uplifting many others to realize their hidden potential. Miracle: The prophetic nature of his art (Malsanguino), the miraculous return of the Knights of Glory ritual, and the spontaneous founding of the Golden Causeway all border on miraculous events guided by Virtue. Pilgrimage: Starac undertook a spiritual journey walking the consecrated Maze of Zoria. His work across several Imperial nations shows his commitment to both spiritual and physical service. Legacy: He founded the first Dawn Glory Square in 378YE, nurturing it for a decade into a central hub of Dawn's culture. He helped rediscover and legitimize the Maze of Zoria through civil service channels. Starac has retrieved lost relics and ritual and created ripples where he has inspired others.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (20-0)

==Exaltation ==
Six [[exaltation|exaltations]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Melchior of Adina's Charge
* '''Judgement:''' Corwyn Heartsbane was presented to this assembly as a potential living exemplar of Courage. Having carried out his inquisition I now call his exaltation. Whether he should be named exemplar is a future decision for this assembly but for now his tireless dedication to the path of courage should be a beacon to us all. Amongst other acts he has led the creation of the Vallornguard and the construction of the Navarri wayhouses inspiring others to follow his lead and take the first steps with him. I ask every member of the assembly to speak to him before voting and to listen to the words of his journey
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (248-0)
* '''Notes:''' Corwyn Heartsbane has been added to the [[Exaltation|Roll of the Exalted]]

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tyrael
* '''Judgement:''' Exaltation of Rinnah of the Shattered Tower. A rift in Highguard has been growing for some time, triggered initially when a general of Highguard was found to be dedicated to a false virtue. Penance has been given, but the lack of closure was a factor in the feelings of mistrust. Rinnah acted with loyalty when others chose not to. Having enlisted the support of Veikko, then the Cardinal of Loyalty, Rinnah carried out an inquisition of Achseh and raised a judgement hope to bring the issues to a close. There were factors outside of their control widening the distrust, but without Rinnah's actions Highguard would be in a much worse position today. Rinnah's Loyalty should be recognised
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (452-24)

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and thank Llewellyn Leafstalker for his Loyal and Virtuous service provided during his eight terms as Senator for Miaren and advise that he seek a Guide of his choosing to discuss an appropriate Testimony. We recognise he has been a true example of what a Loyal Brand should be
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (280-16)

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah
* '''Judgement:''' I have inquisited Raphael Barossa about where his loyalty calls him and the bonds he holds with my brother Dagon. I exalt his loyalty and his clear devotion to his fiancée. It is clear to me his understanding of his own soul is exemplary and uphold his approach to cross national bonds as one to be followed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (244-68)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:''' Pride says we lift each other up. Loyalty says we build others up. Wisdom says all knowledge is incomplete. Silk Farkas founded the Magpies, we exalt him for this deed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (234-16)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' Great oaks from little acorns grow. One <u>very young</u> citizen, <u>Hazel Talbot</u>, has shown exceptional <u>courage</u> in her first year in Anvil by: Confronting <u>Agramant cultists</u>, raising the hue and cry when they threatened innocent citizens; Helping to establish the <u>Sun Chamber</u>, inspiring the next generation to courageous deeds through this new sodality; Acting as a formal <u>deputy to Mitwold's senator</u>, refusing to be intimidated by old Senate geezers, and <u>speaking truth to power</u>, in the footsteps of the exemplar of courage, Gilda Ashwine. WE EXULT THIS COURAGEOUS YOUNG CITIZEN!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (184-0)

==Appointment==
Seventeen [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Autumn Equinox

===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 414 votes; Veikko Bondforger received 382 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum''' was appointed with 178 votes; Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra received 118 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' was appointed with 130 votes; Alastair of Esther's Sanctum received 98 votes; Merlof von Temeschwar received 24 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Edmund Groves''' was appointed with 132 votes; Pontus Figures received 124 votes; Berith Martel received 24 votes; Emrys Averthorne received 22 votes

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Thomir, son of Astion''' was appointed with 194 votes; Rhisiart Heartsbane received 32 votes; Lugh-llaw Whisperleaf received 0 votes

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovitch Volkov''' was appointed with 176 votes

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya de Lagriffe''' was appointed with 140 votes; Azir i Shartha i Riqueza received 108 votes

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav ''' was appointed with 140 votes

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Mordrain Sepulchre''' was appointed with 214 votes; Dame Elisabeth Reine received 78 votes; Ser Elio Sepulchre received 0 votes

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore Van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 138 votes; Tatiana Von Temeschwar received 78 votes

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 246 votes

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rhydian de Rondell''' was appointed with 116 votes; Shibboleth Tziporah received 10 votes

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 108 votes

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nim of Ebon's Hall''' was appointed with 90 votes; Joran of Highguard received 34 votes

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Marshal of the Faith]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Mael''' was appointed with 5 votes; Asenath received 4 votes; Doctor Emil Rook received 0 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes; Woulfric received 0 votes

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 5 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Decimus of House de Bastion''' was appointed with 116 votes; Hoops received 10 votes

==Rewarding==
Twenty-two [[rewarding|rewardings]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Rewarding of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Earl of Fools''' was selected with 454 votes; Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg received 206 votes; Nathair Autumngale received 182 votes; Rafael Barossa d'Apulian received 170 votes; Astrif Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato received 134 votes; Zephaniah of Felix's Watch received 116 votes; Gaelen Embercast received 94 votes; Mirella of the Twisted Rose received 60 votes; Lady Alisa Tamerlaine received 58 votes; Belial de Courtenay-Wildrose received 56 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 52 votes; Ser Purslane Artorigus received 34 votes

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Starac Sijed Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' <u>The Inspirational Tomb of Ozren de Orzel</u>. In 386YE the General Assembly opted to consecrate an Inspirational Tomb for the Exemplar of Pride Ozren de Orzel Establishing an Academy to inspire the Pride of the Empire and all pilgrims of the Way. I have supplied the True Liao for this consecration. Now I seek the aid of the General Assembly for this Virtuous cause and request a rewarding from the Virtue fund of 50 thrones towards purchase of white granite to build the Iinspirational Tomb. In this way we celebrate the Life and Works of Ozren an Exemplar who has so inspired many throughout the Empire. May Pride and Wisdom guide you.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (682-604)

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' With the blessing of the Assembly of Nine (Judgement 212 Autumn 386YE) I seek 62 Thrones to reward the Empire's Ambition in sacrificing international trade as the cost of our fight to spread the Way in Asavea. Soon enough this will no longer be needed as the Asavean blockade fails, but until then we must stay the course
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (588-800)

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to improve the Congregation of Corey Wayfarer. He has demonstrated his Ambition to destroy the Vallorn by creating opportunities to create Isaella's Dance, he raised the mandate to mobilise the Navarr and is continuing to work towards the destruction of Vallorn
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (89-110)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eddard Wormhearth
* '''Judgement:''' I seek your aid in rewarding the one known as Valen Du Froste. During battle their Courage and Loyalty was undeniable when they saved two lives in battle that were moments from being lost; an act that was both selfless and strategic. Driven by a deep sense of Pride for there fellow Dawnish and a Vigilance that goes beyond duty, they acted with the Wisdom to make the right choice under pressure. Their Ambition was not for personal gain but for the continued Prosperity of their fellow men-at-arms. Its with great honour that I ask Valen Du Froste to be rewarded with 60 crowns from the virtue fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (466-340)

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Geraint Bronwen's Rest with 8 wains of white granite to be put towards the City of Dreams. This is an investment in to the future of the NAvarr and will allow us to seek new ways to use liao.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (478-276)

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' No price too high to achieve your dreams - Sorcha Ashwood is a broker who has a vision of a Navarr brimming with prosperity after we end the vallorn, and she pours her every action in striding towards it. She has an ability to get national projects funded through skill and hard work in her brokering, encourages other brokers to join her in seeing and reaching towards her shining vision of our future, and uses the rewards of her success to further ensure we are ready to meet the fight with the vallorn to be able to get there. The fixed point in the distance is the only thing fixed in her journey - she skillfully steps along the ever shifting path in the dance that will get her there, for she knows that Survival is Change. Be inspired by her Ambition and how she strides towards it, and reward her in kind
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (105-32)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Broc
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Eleri Bronwens Rest with 12 wains of mithril to be put towards the army currently mustering in Hercynia. The army will be put to use defending the Empires borders to help safeguard the spiritual centre of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (576-268)

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Belloza Fidanza
* '''Judgement:''' Each summit, the Warforge project: Provides newcomers to Anvil with magical equipment to help support them as they settle into Anvil life; Ensures there is demand for the skills of Artisans and that they are Prosperously paid for their work. This project is guided by the hard work of Serafina di Sarvos who gets no reward for herself. The Synod recognises and rewards this hard work - and the promotion of Prosperity and Vigilance among Imperial citizens - with seven Thrones.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (722-228)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elysium
* '''Judgement:''' For their unwavering endeavour to thwart the Winter eternal Agramant, and the strides made along this path, the most impactful of which, so far, has been banning cannibalism. This was not a road without many obstacles and challenges along the way but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time. We reward Tyburn Weaver, Grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern, 15 thrones from the Virtue Fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (352-292)

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cyrus son of Noah
* '''Judgement:''' Award Merari, Senator for Bastion, 5 wains of white granite towards the restoration of Berechiah's Basilica in Bastion. It was hallowed with true liao in 385Y and has provided only a fraction of the benefit it might have. Now, when we need Berechiah's inspiration to fight foreign espionage rings is the perfect time to complete the work.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (570-210)

===Judgement 114===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Lia Adelaar van Holberg plays the great game and has, with the Sandfisher loan for the Lakesedge Highway, taught the Sandfishers well how the League competes in life and keeps count in coin. By the ring on her finger does she wear her loyalty to this cause close. We ask the citizens of the League to hasten her work in bringing the Sandfishers to the Way and the Empire by supporting her congregation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (212-0)

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tamar
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Rebekah of the Cenotaph for her work in uncovering and collating information about the "new" eternal threatening the Bay of Catazar. Her peerless pursuit of this task is a demonstration of the commitment that the Virtue of Ambition demands.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (300-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' Being Vigilant to the dangers of the world Paulk Thornweaver created and funded the Treji Armoury. His Ambition is to support all who take the field, so finances will never be a barrier to our people using the best equipment possible. The Treji Armoury saves lives, with his actions today having consequences for years to come. Virtue is in action and the Ambition of Paulk is worthy of recognition. Let us build him up as he has built up the people of our Nation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-72)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sister Meredith
* '''Judgement:''' In her time as Conscience of the Senate, <u>Richard of Upwold</u>, inspired by a desire to build her fellows up, was instrumental in the creation of the <u>Judgement of Exhaltation</u>. This tool will enable us to better recognise deserving Imperials and virtuous Marchers. May her ambition live in our long Marcher memory! With her dogged stubbornness driving her Pride, she exemplifies the <u>Spirit of the Marches</u>.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (122-80)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 150|Judgement 150]]

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewalfson
* '''Judgement:''' The Marcher Nations Assembly recognises Jedidiah Boon for his tenacity and steadfastness in representing his constituents in Anvil. We would see him rewarded with a team at the Capodomus Cathedral so he may improve and strengthen his craft as a priest, and continue striving for his ambition of a greater and more Prideful Mournwold
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (198-52)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 146|Judgement 146]]

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:''' We the Freeborn Assembly claim the opportunity given by the Capodomus Cathedral to award Suspiria i Riqueza with an upgraded resource in recognition of their demonstrated Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (140-0)

===Judgement 171===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Amris Johan Merikovich
* '''Judgement:''' We the Varushkan National Assembly have heard the tale of Aunty Armand Mariyavich Remislav and seek to recognise and reward them. As Loremaster and Enchantress, now Wise One, they ensured their people knew the tales of Varushka, and taught them to respect their Elders, rather than respecting only Glory. They prepared and faced difficult choices as a Varushkan, not as a citizen of Dawn. They kept to the road, realising Dawn was no longer their home and led their house back to their ancestral home in Volodmartz. We seek to help them in reconstructing their Vale and call for the upgrade of their dragonbone forest.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (240-0)

===Judgement 175===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Chrysaor
* '''Judgement:''' Mori of House Elyan requires the necessary ingredients to upgrade her herb garden through a judgement of rewarding. With the intent to produce Bloodharrow Philtres to be used by Dawnish fighters in combat with the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-20)

===Judgement 186===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceus of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and seek to reward the AMBITION of Callista of the Dark Shard, who has worked throughout Urizen to see the ambitions of others be brought into the light and realised. Those inspired by their work to build a better empire through precise and elegant application of effort should heed the words of Estella Lucati at the consecration of Capodomus Cathedral and the work displayed there. Let us strengthen her congregation so they may continue to help all pursue their goals, for nothing is beyond our grasp.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (164-10)

===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Meep
* '''Judgement:''' The words of the Ancestors grow stronger in Anvil. They thunder in Orc ears at the Sentinel Gate, they observe the power that flows from the Imperial Regio, and last summit, our Shamans, heard them speak of Legends in the pit. Once again, the Consecration of Capodomus Cathedral calls out for an Ambition, and once again, the Shamans of Anvil answer with the words of Ancestors. The third gathering of “Audience of the Ancestors” speaks, and the Unshackled National Assembly echoes their words. We name KADD and their Ambition to liberate the orcs of the broken shore to be recognised by all Imperial Orcs. Gather your strength and help them build up their resource. May their Legend carry them Across the Abyss!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (40-0)

===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Trencher Smoulder in the Cold
* '''Judgement:''' To my fellow citizens, I put myself forward as an individual who has exemplified myself as a Wintermarker. Through working with those who were abandoned by the Empire and left to Blood-on-the-Snow, I was able to bring them back on the path of the Way and help them mend their skein. This showed a love for three people and one nation. Let the Capodomus Cathedral uplift my hero's home as a beacon for all who strive.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (44-0)

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Summer Solstice.
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Wintermark unless enacted by the Wintermark Assembly. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in the nation, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[The_final_cut#Questions_for_Wintermark|The final cut]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Summer Solstice 387YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>105 thrones, 1 crown, 7 rings</td><td>12 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>1 dose</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>56 thrones, 4 crowns, 8 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>81 thrones, 7 crowns, 15 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>8 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 1 throne, 2 crowns at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]]
* 2 thrones at the counting house of [[Tassato]]
* 1 throne, 3 crowns at the counting house of [[Semmerholm]]
* 1 throne, 4 crowns at the counting house of [[Karsk]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 7 thrones to '''Belloza Fidanza''' following [[#Judgement 99|Judgement 99]] being upheld (margin 494)
* 5 wains of white granite to '''Cyrus, Son of Noah''' following [[#Judgement 107|Judgement 107]] being upheld (margin 360)
* 12 wains of mithril to '''Broc''' following [[#Judgement 94|Judgement 94]] being upheld (margin 308)
* 3 wains of white granite (out of 8 requested) to '''Arawyn Whisperleaf''' following [[#Judgement 80|Judgement 80]] being upheld (margin 202)
* 7 thrones, 6 crowns to '''Eddard Warmhearth''' following [[#Judgement 72|Judgement 72]] being upheld (margin 126)
* 50 thrones to '''Starac Sijed Orzel''' following [[#Judgement 5|Judgement 5]] being upheld (margin 78)
* 15 thrones to '''Elysium''' following [[#Judgement 102|Judgement 102]] being upheld (margin 60)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 55 thrones for the Bourse dose of True Liao from '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 4 crowns, 17 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Martel'''
* 11 rings in small donations
</div>

==Doses of True Liao==

Seven doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to the '''Earl of Fools''' via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Moraža, Boyar of the Darkwater Vale''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Percival of the Summerstrong''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#The_Just_Rewards_of_Your_Labours|gifted]] by the [[Sumaah Republic]] to [[We_give_the_future_to_the_winds#Flames_and_Faith|'''Boorra Talighar''']] by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Luca di Sarvos''' by resolution of the [[Sun_Chamber#Past_Lives|Sun Chamber]]

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 46 || 634 || 318
|-
|Courage || 35 || 439 || 220
|-
|Loyalty || 79 || 1136 || 569
|-
|Pride || 34 || 446 || 224
|-
|Prosperity || 37 || 459 || 230
|-
|Vigilance || 60 || 802 || 402
|-
|Wisdom || 54 || 730 || 366
|-
|The Way || 28 || 312 || 157
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 244 || 123
|-
|Dawn || 55 || 721 || 361
|-
|Highguard || 82 || 1262 || 632
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 8 || 106 || 54
|-
|League || 33 || 478 || 240
|-
|Marches || 26 || 306 || 154
|-
|Navarr || 43 || 511 || 256
|-
|Urizen || 30 || 370 || 186
|-
|Varushka || 38 || 512 || 257
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 448 || 225
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

387YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2025-09-23T07:40:26Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 80 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Autumn]]
==Overview==
During the Autumn Equinox 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised TBC judgements.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| TBC
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 8
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 3
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 6
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 17
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 22
|-
|}
</div>
==Statement of Principle==

==Mandate==
Eight [[mandate|mandates]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Herminius of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' Mercy is weakness. Mercy shows the enemy your limits. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all Loyal Urizeni to hunt down the Disciples of Sulemaine and show them the blade. Find your enemy's limits and go beyond them
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (66-0)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Gwen Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is finding the right question. We send Gwen Tendfallen with 50 doses of liao to encourage devotees of Wisdom to carefully investigate false virtues. Test what we learn about malign spiritual auras is the highest calling of this assembly
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (128-236)
__TOC__
===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out the poison! We send Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka with 75 doses of liao to urge Varushkans to move against those who would spread blasphemy and heresy. Tolerate no folly and guide the law's hand to inflict the punishment that has been earned.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (360-0)

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun
* '''Judgement:''' Captains of Urizen! There is a poison in our fields. The Disciples of Sulemaine threaten by spreading the Blasphemy of Hatred, an idea long since tested and discarded as lacking. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all to go forth and excise this pestilence from our home.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (258-0)

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Cosimo Argyra
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without! The Silent Manse in the Sarcophan Enclave is a spiritual threat to the wellbeing of all. The only way to avoid blasphemy and heresy is to have nothing to do with this profane temple. We send Cosimo Argyra with 25 doses of liao to urge all Imperial citizens planning to visit the estates to express only polite and civil disinterest in their unvirtuous religion.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The meeting hall at Gull Island will be completed for the Winter Solstice. Yet until a meeting has taken place there it is just a hall. We send Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark with 25 doses of liao to spread word of the Hall both in Wintermark and in the lands of the Jotun. Let the Ghodi bring their people to join with the folk of Wintermark to see what bridge may be built.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Torin
* '''Judgement:''' We send Eevi of the Gadrai with 5 doses of liao to urge those who know Valdr Grieversonn well to encourage him to talk to the Assembly
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. We send Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic with 25 doses of liao to urge Wintermarkers and Varushkans to work together to seek out and oppose the false Virtues at every turn. Let us seek out the poison in our neighbours fields.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (292-0)

==Writ of Consecration==
One [[writ of consecration]] was presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Alfredo Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' In the days before the Empire, the Jotun and Wintermark erected a stone, which became known simply as the Meeting Place. For many generations Jotun and Empire could meet there, be Loyal to their values and bind themselves with oaths - over time a hall grew up on the site and honour and virtue flowed from it. In recent times that hall was destroyed and the stone smashed. Ignominious death and dishonour have abounded between Jotun and Imperials since. Now at last, the Empire and Jotun have jointly rebuilt the feasting hall and wish to call it the Meeting Place once more. This is a place of Honour and Virtue, a place to be Loyal to our values, ourselves, the oaths we swear and the treaties we sign. Having sought the Jotun's agreement, I ask the Assembly for a Writ of Consecration, to dedicate part of the site to Loyalty using a dose of True Liao donated by Erland, in the hope the Jotun accept this offer in the spirit it is intended.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (412-26)

==Revocation==

==Challenge==

==Inquisition==

==Sanction==

==Recognition==
Three [[recognition|recognitions]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Edmund
* '''Judgement:''' Tom Drake, Exemplar of Loyalty. Inspiration - the Drakes still fight in his name! Legacy - founded the Military Council! Salvation - Fought Alderei the Fair, dying to save Varushka and the Empire! Benevolence - sacrificed his pride for the sovereignty of the Marches, and all Imperial nations! Through times of great change, Tom Drake remained always Loyal and devoted to the Marches.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1280-162)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tarquinius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' While it has not been raised since at least before Britta, the law is clear that the Synod has the option to recognise a person in this fashion if they truly deserve it. I name Fintan Nighthaven as a false Exemplar of Peace. His choices make it clear what the path of peace looks like and where it leads. The signs are not required or expected to recognise an exemplar of a false virtue, but his actions have been impactful at the level of legacy (obtaining ilium and true liao to create a peace relic) or inspiration (arranging the peace hallows for our cardinals)
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (620-210)

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Nisha Strascovich
* '''Judgement:''' Starac Orzel is a living Exemplar of Pride and strong enough in mind, body and virtue to carry this weight. Liberation: Starac's selfless sacrifice, repeatedly facing death for the Empire, could be viewed as transcending mortal ties - readiness for spiritual liberation. Recognition: Starac has been repeatedly honoured in key Imperial roles, Gatekeeper, Quartermaster, General, Field Marshal, Battle Mage of Dawn and Voice of Varushka. His is success in war, diplomacy, and magic make him a shining example of Imperial Virtue. Benevolence: Starac saved the children of Dark Heart, prevented unnecessary bloodshed, made reforms as quartermaster improving military budgets, ensured equitable access to Summer ritual and funded the Statue of Eleonaris himself when Imperial funds were short benefiting the Empire. Inspiration: Starac is celebrated for inspiring troops to persevere at Holberg, earning him the Equine Rod from Barien and raising national morale. His creative efforts have enriched Imperial culture and spirit, and his influence reaches from motivating Dawn in Anvil to uplifting many others to realize their hidden potential. Miracle: The prophetic nature of his art (Malsanguino), the miraculous return of the Knights of Glory ritual, and the spontaneous founding of the Golden Causeway all border on miraculous events guided by Virtue. Pilgrimage: Starac undertook a spiritual journey walking the consecrated Maze of Zoria. His work across several Imperial nations shows his commitment to both spiritual and physical service. Legacy: He founded the first Dawn Glory Square in 378YE, nurturing it for a decade into a central hub of Dawn's culture. He helped rediscover and legitimize the Maze of Zoria through civil service channels. Starac has retrieved lost relics and ritual and created ripples where he has inspired others.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (20-0)

==Exaltation ==
Six [[exaltation|exaltations]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Melchior of Adina's Charge
* '''Judgement:''' Corwyn Heartsbane was presented to this assembly as a potential living exemplar of Courage. Having carried out his inquisition I now call his exaltation. Whether he should be named exemplar is a future decision for this assembly but for now his tireless dedication to the path of courage should be a beacon to us all. Amongst other acts he has led the creation of the Vallornguard and the construction of the Navarri wayhouses inspiring others to follow his lead and take the first steps with him. I ask every member of the assembly to speak to him before voting and to listen to the words of his journey
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (248-0)
* '''Notes:''' Corwyn Heartsbane has been added to the [[Exaltation|Roll of the Exalted]]

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tyrael
* '''Judgement:''' Exaltation of Rinnah of the Shattered Tower. A rift in Highguard has been growing for some time, triggered initially when a general of Highguard was found to be dedicated to a false virtue. Penance has been given, but the lack of closure was a factor in the feelings of mistrust. Rinnah acted with loyalty when others chose not to. Having enlisted the support of Veikko, then the Cardinal of Loyalty, Rinnah carried out an inquisition of Achseh and raised a judgement hope to bring the issues to a close. There were factors outside of their control widening the distrust, but without Rinnah's actions Highguard would be in a much worse position today. Rinnah's Loyalty should be recognised
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (452-24)

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and thank Llewellyn Leafstalker for his Loyal and Virtuous service provided during his eight terms as Senator for Miaren and advise that he seek a Guide of his choosing to discuss an appropriate Testimony. We recognise he has been a true example of what a Loyal Brand should be
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (280-16)

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah
* '''Judgement:''' I have inquisited Raphael Barossa about where his loyalty calls him and the bonds he holds with my brother Dagon. I exalt his loyalty and his clear devotion to his fiancée. It is clear to me his understanding of his own soul is exemplary and uphold his approach to cross national bonds as one to be followed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (244-68)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:''' Pride says we lift each other up. Loyalty says we build others up. Wisdom says all knowledge is incomplete. Silk Farkas founded the Magpies, we exalt him for this deed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (234-16)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' Great oaks from little acorns grow. One <u>very young</u> citizen, <u>Hazel Talbot</u>, has shown exceptional <u>courage</u> in her first year in Anvil by: Confronting <u>Agramant cultists</u>, raising the hue and cry when they threatened innocent citizens; Helping to establish the <u>Sun Chamber</u>, inspiring the next generation to courageous deeds through this new sodality; Acting as a formal <u>deputy to Mitwold's senator</u>, refusing to be intimidated by old Senate geezers, and <u>speaking truth to power</u>, in the footsteps of the exemplar of courage, Gilda Ashwine. WE EXULT THIS COURAGEOUS YOUNG CITIZEN!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (184-0)

==Appointment==
Seventeen [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Autumn Equinox

===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 414 votes; Veikko Bondforger received 382 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum''' was appointed with 178 votes; Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra received 118 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' was appointed with 130 votes; Alastair of Esther's Sanctum received 98 votes; Merlof von Temeschwar received 24 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Edmund Groves''' was appointed with 132 votes; Pontus Figures received 124 votes; Berith Martel received 24 votes; Emrys Averthorne received 22 votes

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Thomir, son of Astion''' was appointed with 194 votes; Rhisiart Heartsbane received 32 votes; Lugh-llaw Whisperleaf received 0 votes

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovitch Volkov''' was appointed with 176 votes

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya de Lagriffe''' was appointed with 140 votes; Azir i Shartha i Riqueza received 108 votes

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav ''' was appointed with 140 votes

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Mordrain Sepulchre''' was appointed with 214 votes; Dame Elisabeth Reine received 78 votes; Ser Elio Sepulchre received 0 votes

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore Van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 138 votes; Tatiana Von Temeschwar received 78 votes

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 246 votes

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rhydian de Rondell''' was appointed with 116 votes; Shibboleth Tziporah received 10 votes

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 108 votes

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nim of Ebon's Hall''' was appointed with 90 votes; Joran of Highguard received 34 votes

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Marshal of the Faith]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Mael''' was appointed with 5 votes; Asenath received 4 votes; Doctor Emil Rook received 0 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes; Woulfric received 0 votes

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 5 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Decimus of House de Bastion''' was appointed with 116 votes; Hoops received 10 votes

==Rewarding==
Twenty-two [[rewarding|rewardings]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Rewarding of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Earl of Fools''' was selected with 454 votes; Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg received 206 votes; Nathair Autumngale received 182 votes; Rafael Barossa d'Apulian received 170 votes; Astrif Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato received 134 votes; Zephaniah of Felix's Watch received 116 votes; Gaelen Embercast received 94 votes; Mirella of the Twisted Rose received 60 votes; Lady Alisa Tamerlaine received 58 votes; Belial de Courtenay-Wildrose received 56 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 52 votes; Ser Purslane Artorigus received 34 votes

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Starac Sijed Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' <u>The Inspirational Tomb of Ozren de Orzel</u>. In 386YE the General Assembly opted to consecrate an Inspirational Tomb for the Exemplar of Pride Ozren de Orzel Establishing an Academy to inspire the Pride of the Empire and all pilgrims of the Way. I have supplied the True Liao for this consecration. Now I seek the aid of the General Assembly for this Virtuous cause and request a rewarding from the Virtue fund of 50 thrones towards purchase of white granite to build the Iinspirational Tomb. In this way we celebrate the Life and Works of Ozren an Exemplar who has so inspired many throughout the Empire. May Pride and Wisdom guide you.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (682-604)

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' With the blessing of the Assembly of Nine (Judgement 212 Autumn 386YE) I seek 62 Thrones to reward the Empire's Ambition in sacrificing international trade as the cost of our fight to spread the Way in Asavea. Soon enough this will no longer be needed as the Asavean blockade fails, but until then we must stay the course
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (588-800)

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to improve the Congregation of Corey Wayfarer. He has demonstrated his Ambition to destroy the Vallorn by creating opportunities to create Isealla's Dance, he raised the mandate to mobilise the Navarr and is continuing to work towards the destruction of Vallorn
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (89-110)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eddard Wormhearth
* '''Judgement:''' I seek your aid in rewarding the one known as Valen Du Froste. During battle their Courage and Loyalty was undeniable when they saved two lives in battle that were moments from being lost; an act that was both selfless and strategic. Driven by a deep sense of Pride for there fellow Dawnish and a Vigilance that goes beyond duty, they acted with the Wisdom to make the right choice under pressure. Their Ambition was not for personal gain but for the continued Prosperity of their fellow men-at-arms. Its with great honour that I ask Valen Du Froste to be rewarded with 60 crowns from the virtue fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (466-340)

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Geraint Bronwen's Rest with 8 wains of white granite to be put towards the City of Dreams. This is an investment in to the future of the NAvarr and will allow us to seek new ways to use liao.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (478-276)

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' No price too high to achieve your dreams - Sorcha Ashwood is a broker who has a vision of a Navarr brimming with prosperity after we end the vallorn, and she pours her every action in striding towards it. She has an ability to get national projects funded through skill and hard work in her brokering, encourages other brokers to join her in seeing and reaching towards her shining vision of our future, and uses the rewards of her success to further ensure we are ready to meet the fight with the vallorn to be able to get there. The fixed point in the distance is the only thing fixed in her journey - she skillfully steps along the ever shifting path in the dance that will get her there, for she knows that Survival is Change. Be inspired by her Ambition and how she strides towards it, and reward her in kind
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (105-32)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Broc
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Eleri Bronwens Rest with 12 wains of mithril to be put towards the army currently mustering in Hercynia. The army will be put to use defending the Empires borders to help safeguard the spiritual centre of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (576-268)

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Belloza Fidanza
* '''Judgement:''' Each summit, the Warforge project: Provides newcomers to Anvil with magical equipment to help support them as they settle into Anvil life; Ensures there is demand for the skills of Artisans and that they are Prosperously paid for their work. This project is guided by the hard work of Serafina di Sarvos who gets no reward for herself. The Synod recognises and rewards this hard work - and the promotion of Prosperity and Vigilance among Imperial citizens - with seven Thrones.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (722-228)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elysium
* '''Judgement:''' For their unwavering endeavour to thwart the Winter eternal Agramant, and the strides made along this path, the most impactful of which, so far, has been banning cannibalism. This was not a road without many obstacles and challenges along the way but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time. We reward Tyburn Weaver, Grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern, 15 thrones from the Virtue Fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (352-292)

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cyrus son of Noah
* '''Judgement:''' Award Merari, Senator for Bastion, 5 wains of white granite towards the restoration of Berechiah's Basilica in Bastion. It was hallowed with true liao in 385Y and has provided only a fraction of the benefit it might have. Now, when we need Berechiah's inspiration to fight foreign espionage rings is the perfect time to complete the work.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (570-210)

===Judgement 114===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Lia Adelaar van Holberg plays the great game and has, with the Sandfisher loan for the Lakesedge Highway, taught the Sandfishers well how the League competes in life and keeps count in coin. By the ring on her finger does she wear her loyalty to this cause close. We ask the citizens of the League to hasten her work in bringing the Sandfishers to the Way and the Empire by supporting her congregation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (212-0)

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tamar
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Rebekah of the Cenotaph for her work in uncovering and collating information about the "new" eternal threatening the Bay of Catazar. Her peerless pursuit of this task is a demonstration of the commitment that the Virtue of Ambition demands.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (300-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' Being Vigilant to the dangers of the world Paulk Thornweaver created and funded the Treji Armoury. His Ambition is to support all who take the field, so finances will never be a barrier to our people using the best equipment possible. The Treji Armoury saves lives, with his actions today having consequences for years to come. Virtue is in action and the Ambition of Paulk is worthy of recognition. Let us build him up as he has built up the people of our Nation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-72)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sister Meredith
* '''Judgement:''' In her time as Conscience of the Senate, <u>Richard of Upwold</u>, inspired by a desire to build her fellows up, was instrumental in the creation of the <u>Judgement of Exhaltation</u>. This tool will enable us to better recognise deserving Imperials and virtuous Marchers. May her ambition live in our long Marcher memory! With her dogged stubbornness driving her Pride, she exemplifies the <u>Spirit of the Marches</u>.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (122-80)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 150|Judgement 150]]

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewalfson
* '''Judgement:''' The Marcher Nations Assembly recognises Jedidiah Boon for his tenacity and steadfastness in representing his constituents in Anvil. We would see him rewarded with a team at the Capodomus Cathedral so he may improve and strengthen his craft as a priest, and continue striving for his ambition of a greater and more Prideful Mournwold
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (198-52)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 146|Judgement 146]]

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:''' We the Freeborn Assembly claim the opportunity given by the Capodomus Cathedral to award Suspiria i Riqueza with an upgraded resource in recognition of their demonstrated Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (140-0)

===Judgement 171===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Amris Johan Merikovich
* '''Judgement:''' We the Varushkan National Assembly have heard the tale of Aunty Armand Mariyavich Remislav and seek to recognise and reward them. As Loremaster and Enchantress, now Wise One, they ensured their people knew the tales of Varushka, and taught them to respect their Elders, rather than respecting only Glory. They prepared and faced difficult choices as a Varushkan, not as a citizen of Dawn. They kept to the road, realising Dawn was no longer their home and led their house back to their ancestral home in Volodmartz. We seek to help them in reconstructing their Vale and call for the upgrade of their dragonbone forest.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (240-0)

===Judgement 175===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Chrysaor
* '''Judgement:''' Mori of House Elyan requires the necessary ingredients to upgrade her herb garden through a judgement of rewarding. With the intent to produce Bloodharrow Philtres to be used by Dawnish fighters in combat with the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-20)

===Judgement 186===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceus of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and seek to reward the AMBITION of Callista of the Dark Shard, who has worked throughout Urizen to see the ambitions of others be brought into the light and realised. Those inspired by their work to build a better empire through precise and elegant application of effort should heed the words of Estella Lucati at the consecration of Capodomus Cathedral and the work displayed there. Let us strengthen her congregation so they may continue to help all pursue their goals, for nothing is beyond our grasp.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (164-10)

===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Meep
* '''Judgement:''' The words of the Ancestors grow stronger in Anvil. They thunder in Orc ears at the Sentinel Gate, they observe the power that flows from the Imperial Regio, and last summit, our Shamans, heard them speak of Legends in the pit. Once again, the Consecration of Capodomus Cathedral calls out for an Ambition, and once again, the Shamans of Anvil answer with the words of Ancestors. The third gathering of “Audience of the Ancestors” speaks, and the Unshackled National Assembly echoes their words. We name KADD and their Ambition to liberate the orcs of the broken shore to be recognised by all Imperial Orcs. Gather your strength and help them build up their resource. May their Legend carry them Across the Abyss!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (40-0)

===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Trencher Smoulder in the Cold
* '''Judgement:''' To my fellow citizens, I put myself forward as an individual who has exemplified myself as a Wintermarker. Through working with those who were abandoned by the Empire and left to Blood-on-the-Snow, I was able to bring them back on the path of the Way and help them mend their skein. This showed a love for three people and one nation. Let the Capodomus Cathedral uplift my hero's home as a beacon for all who strive.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (44-0)

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Summer Solstice.
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Wintermark unless enacted by the Wintermark Assembly. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in the nation, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[The_final_cut#Questions_for_Wintermark|The final cut]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Summer Solstice 387YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>105 thrones, 1 crown, 7 rings</td><td>12 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>1 dose</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>56 thrones, 4 crowns, 8 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>81 thrones, 7 crowns, 15 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>8 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 1 throne, 2 crowns at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]]
* 2 thrones at the counting house of [[Tassato]]
* 1 throne, 3 crowns at the counting house of [[Semmerholm]]
* 1 throne, 4 crowns at the counting house of [[Karsk]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 7 thrones to '''Belloza Fidanza''' following [[#Judgement 99|Judgement 99]] being upheld (margin 494)
* 5 wains of white granite to '''Cyrus, Son of Noah''' following [[#Judgement 107|Judgement 107]] being upheld (margin 360)
* 12 wains of mithril to '''Broc''' following [[#Judgement 94|Judgement 94]] being upheld (margin 308)
* 3 wains of white granite (out of 8 requested) to '''Arawyn Whisperleaf''' following [[#Judgement 80|Judgement 80]] being upheld (margin 202)
* 7 thrones, 6 crowns to '''Eddard Warmhearth''' following [[#Judgement 72|Judgement 72]] being upheld (margin 126)
* 50 thrones to '''Starac Sijed Orzel''' following [[#Judgement 5|Judgement 5]] being upheld (margin 78)
* 15 thrones to '''Elysium''' following [[#Judgement 102|Judgement 102]] being upheld (margin 60)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 55 thrones for the Bourse dose of True Liao from '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 4 crowns, 17 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Martel'''
* 11 rings in small donations
</div>

==Doses of True Liao==

Seven doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to the '''Earl of Fools''' via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Moraža, Boyar of the Darkwater Vale''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Percival of the Summerstrong''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#The_Just_Rewards_of_Your_Labours|gifted]] by the [[Sumaah Republic]] to [[We_give_the_future_to_the_winds#Flames_and_Faith|'''Boorra Talighar''']] by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Luca di Sarvos''' by resolution of the [[Sun_Chamber#Past_Lives|Sun Chamber]]

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 46 || 634 || 318
|-
|Courage || 35 || 439 || 220
|-
|Loyalty || 79 || 1136 || 569
|-
|Pride || 34 || 446 || 224
|-
|Prosperity || 37 || 459 || 230
|-
|Vigilance || 60 || 802 || 402
|-
|Wisdom || 54 || 730 || 366
|-
|The Way || 28 || 312 || 157
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 244 || 123
|-
|Dawn || 55 || 721 || 361
|-
|Highguard || 82 || 1262 || 632
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 8 || 106 || 54
|-
|League || 33 || 478 || 240
|-
|Marches || 26 || 306 || 154
|-
|Navarr || 43 || 511 || 256
|-
|Urizen || 30 || 370 || 186
|-
|Varushka || 38 || 512 || 257
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 448 || 225
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

387YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2025-09-23T07:38:46Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 94 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Autumn]]
==Overview==
During the Autumn Equinox 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised TBC judgements.

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| TBC
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 8
|-
|[[#Writ of Consecration|Writ of Consecration]] || 1
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || TBC
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 3
|-
|[[#Exaltation|Exaltation]] || 6
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 17
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 22
|-
|}
</div>
==Statement of Principle==

==Mandate==
Eight [[mandate|mandates]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Herminius of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' Mercy is weakness. Mercy shows the enemy your limits. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all Loyal Urizeni to hunt down the Disciples of Sulemaine and show them the blade. Find your enemy's limits and go beyond them
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (66-0)

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Gwen Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is finding the right question. We send Gwen Tendfallen with 50 doses of liao to encourage devotees of Wisdom to carefully investigate false virtues. Test what we learn about malign spiritual auras is the highest calling of this assembly
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (128-236)
__TOC__
===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out the poison! We send Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka with 75 doses of liao to urge Varushkans to move against those who would spread blasphemy and heresy. Tolerate no folly and guide the law's hand to inflict the punishment that has been earned.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (360-0)

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun
* '''Judgement:''' Captains of Urizen! There is a poison in our fields. The Disciples of Sulemaine threaten by spreading the Blasphemy of Hatred, an idea long since tested and discarded as lacking. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 doses of liao to urge all to go forth and excise this pestilence from our home.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (258-0)

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Cosimo Argyra
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without! The Silent Manse in the Sarcophan Enclave is a spiritual threat to the wellbeing of all. The only way to avoid blasphemy and heresy is to have nothing to do with this profane temple. We send Cosimo Argyra with 25 doses of liao to urge all Imperial citizens planning to visit the estates to express only polite and civil disinterest in their unvirtuous religion.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The meeting hall at Gull Island will be completed for the Winter Solstice. Yet until a meeting has taken place there it is just a hall. We send Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark with 25 doses of liao to spread word of the Hall both in Wintermark and in the lands of the Jotun. Let the Ghodi bring their people to join with the folk of Wintermark to see what bridge may be built.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Torin
* '''Judgement:''' We send Eevi of the Gadrai with 5 doses of liao to urge those who know Valdr Grieversonn well to encourage him to talk to the Assembly
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (284-0)

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic
* '''Judgement:''' Seek out falsehood and expose the truth. We send Vasilmir Radovanovna Esskivic with 25 doses of liao to urge Wintermarkers and Varushkans to work together to seek out and oppose the false Virtues at every turn. Let us seek out the poison in our neighbours fields.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (292-0)

==Writ of Consecration==
One [[writ of consecration]] was presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Alfredo Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' In the days before the Empire, the Jotun and Wintermark erected a stone, which became known simply as the Meeting Place. For many generations Jotun and Empire could meet there, be Loyal to their values and bind themselves with oaths - over time a hall grew up on the site and honour and virtue flowed from it. In recent times that hall was destroyed and the stone smashed. Ignominious death and dishonour have abounded between Jotun and Imperials since. Now at last, the Empire and Jotun have jointly rebuilt the feasting hall and wish to call it the Meeting Place once more. This is a place of Honour and Virtue, a place to be Loyal to our values, ourselves, the oaths we swear and the treaties we sign. Having sought the Jotun's agreement, I ask the Assembly for a Writ of Consecration, to dedicate part of the site to Loyalty using a dose of True Liao donated by Erland, in the hope the Jotun accept this offer in the spirit it is intended.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (412-26)

==Revocation==

==Challenge==

==Inquisition==

==Sanction==

==Recognition==
Three [[recognition|recognitions]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Father Edmund
* '''Judgement:''' Tom Drake, Exemplar of Loyalty. Inspiration - the Drakes still fight in his name! Legacy - founded the Military Council! Salvation - Fought Alderei the Fair, dying to save Varushka and the Empire! Benevolence - sacrificed his pride for the sovereignty of the Marches, and all Imperial nations! Through times of great change, Tom Drake remained always Loyal and devoted to the Marches.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1280-162)

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tarquinius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' While it has not been raised since at least before Britta, the law is clear that the Synod has the option to recognise a person in this fashion if they truly deserve it. I name Fintan Nighthaven as a false Exemplar of Peace. His choices make it clear what the path of peace looks like and where it leads. The signs are not required or expected to recognise an exemplar of a false virtue, but his actions have been impactful at the level of legacy (obtaining ilium and true liao to create a peace relic) or inspiration (arranging the peace hallows for our cardinals)
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (620-210)

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Nisha Strascovich
* '''Judgement:''' Starac Orzel is a living Exemplar of Pride and strong enough in mind, body and virtue to carry this weight. Liberation: Starac's selfless sacrifice, repeatedly facing death for the Empire, could be viewed as transcending mortal ties - readiness for spiritual liberation. Recognition: Starac has been repeatedly honoured in key Imperial roles, Gatekeeper, Quartermaster, General, Field Marshal, Battle Mage of Dawn and Voice of Varushka. His is success in war, diplomacy, and magic make him a shining example of Imperial Virtue. Benevolence: Starac saved the children of Dark Heart, prevented unnecessary bloodshed, made reforms as quartermaster improving military budgets, ensured equitable access to Summer ritual and funded the Statue of Eleonaris himself when Imperial funds were short benefiting the Empire. Inspiration: Starac is celebrated for inspiring troops to persevere at Holberg, earning him the Equine Rod from Barien and raising national morale. His creative efforts have enriched Imperial culture and spirit, and his influence reaches from motivating Dawn in Anvil to uplifting many others to realize their hidden potential. Miracle: The prophetic nature of his art (Malsanguino), the miraculous return of the Knights of Glory ritual, and the spontaneous founding of the Golden Causeway all border on miraculous events guided by Virtue. Pilgrimage: Starac undertook a spiritual journey walking the consecrated Maze of Zoria. His work across several Imperial nations shows his commitment to both spiritual and physical service. Legacy: He founded the first Dawn Glory Square in 378YE, nurturing it for a decade into a central hub of Dawn's culture. He helped rediscover and legitimize the Maze of Zoria through civil service channels. Starac has retrieved lost relics and ritual and created ripples where he has inspired others.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (20-0)

==Exaltation ==
Six [[exaltation|exaltations]] were raised during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Melchior of Adina's Charge
* '''Judgement:''' Corwyn Heartsbane was presented to this assembly as a potential living exemplar of Courage. Having carried out his inquisition I now call his exaltation. Whether he should be named exemplar is a future decision for this assembly but for now his tireless dedication to the path of courage should be a beacon to us all. Amongst other acts he has led the creation of the Vallornguard and the construction of the Navarri wayhouses inspiring others to follow his lead and take the first steps with him. I ask every member of the assembly to speak to him before voting and to listen to the words of his journey
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (248-0)
* '''Notes:''' Corwyn Heartsbane has been added to the [[Exaltation|Roll of the Exalted]]

===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tyrael
* '''Judgement:''' Exaltation of Rinnah of the Shattered Tower. A rift in Highguard has been growing for some time, triggered initially when a general of Highguard was found to be dedicated to a false virtue. Penance has been given, but the lack of closure was a factor in the feelings of mistrust. Rinnah acted with loyalty when others chose not to. Having enlisted the support of Veikko, then the Cardinal of Loyalty, Rinnah carried out an inquisition of Achseh and raised a judgement hope to bring the issues to a close. There were factors outside of their control widening the distrust, but without Rinnah's actions Highguard would be in a much worse position today. Rinnah's Loyalty should be recognised
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (452-24)

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and thank Llewellyn Leafstalker for his Loyal and Virtuous service provided during his eight terms as Senator for Miaren and advise that he seek a Guide of his choosing to discuss an appropriate Testimony. We recognise he has been a true example of what a Loyal Brand should be
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (280-16)

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Rinnah
* '''Judgement:''' I have inquisited Raphael Barossa about where his loyalty calls him and the bonds he holds with my brother Dagon. I exalt his loyalty and his clear devotion to his fiancée. It is clear to me his understanding of his own soul is exemplary and uphold his approach to cross national bonds as one to be followed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (244-68)

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:''' Pride says we lift each other up. Loyalty says we build others up. Wisdom says all knowledge is incomplete. Silk Farkas founded the Magpies, we exalt him for this deed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (234-16)

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Basil Goodbeard
* '''Judgement:''' Great oaks from little acorns grow. One <u>very young</u> citizen, <u>Hazel Talbot</u>, has shown exceptional <u>courage</u> in her first year in Anvil by: Confronting <u>Agramant cultists</u>, raising the hue and cry when they threatened innocent citizens; Helping to establish the <u>Sun Chamber</u>, inspiring the next generation to courageous deeds through this new sodality; Acting as a formal <u>deputy to Mitwold's senator</u>, refusing to be intimidated by old Senate geezers, and <u>speaking truth to power</u>, in the footsteps of the exemplar of courage, Gilda Ashwine. WE EXULT THIS COURAGEOUS YOUNG CITIZEN!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (184-0)

==Appointment==
Seventeen [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Autumn Equinox

===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Dagon of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 414 votes; Veikko Bondforger received 382 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum''' was appointed with 178 votes; Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra received 118 votes

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Brother Geoffrey Orchard''' was appointed with 130 votes; Alastair of Esther's Sanctum received 98 votes; Merlof von Temeschwar received 24 votes

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Edmund Groves''' was appointed with 132 votes; Pontus Figures received 124 votes; Berith Martel received 24 votes; Emrys Averthorne received 22 votes

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Thomir, son of Astion''' was appointed with 194 votes; Rhisiart Heartsbane received 32 votes; Lugh-llaw Whisperleaf received 0 votes

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovitch Volkov''' was appointed with 176 votes

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Abreya de Lagriffe''' was appointed with 140 votes; Azir i Shartha i Riqueza received 108 votes

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Romand Reinetova Remislav ''' was appointed with 140 votes

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Mordrain Sepulchre''' was appointed with 214 votes; Dame Elisabeth Reine received 78 votes; Ser Elio Sepulchre received 0 votes

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore Van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 138 votes; Tatiana Von Temeschwar received 78 votes

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 246 votes

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rhydian de Rondell''' was appointed with 116 votes; Shibboleth Tziporah received 10 votes

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Isaia Pavone di Sarvos''' was appointed with 108 votes

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nim of Ebon's Hall''' was appointed with 90 votes; Joran of Highguard received 34 votes

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Marshal of the Faith]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Mael''' was appointed with 5 votes; Asenath received 4 votes; Doctor Emil Rook received 0 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes; Woulfric received 0 votes

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 5 votes; Bryn Tendfallen received 0 votes

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Decimus of House de Bastion''' was appointed with 116 votes; Hoops received 10 votes

==Rewarding==
Twenty-two [[rewarding|rewardings]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Rewarding of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Earl of Fools''' was selected with 454 votes; Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg received 206 votes; Nathair Autumngale received 182 votes; Rafael Barossa d'Apulian received 170 votes; Astrif Fjellrevening Rezia di Tassato received 134 votes; Zephaniah of Felix's Watch received 116 votes; Gaelen Embercast received 94 votes; Mirella of the Twisted Rose received 60 votes; Lady Alisa Tamerlaine received 58 votes; Belial de Courtenay-Wildrose received 56 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 52 votes; Ser Purslane Artorigus received 34 votes

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Starac Sijed Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' <u>The Inspirational Tomb of Ozren de Orzel</u>. In 386YE the General Assembly opted to consecrate an Inspirational Tomb for the Exemplar of Pride Ozren de Orzel Establishing an Academy to inspire the Pride of the Empire and all pilgrims of the Way. I have supplied the True Liao for this consecration. Now I seek the aid of the General Assembly for this Virtuous cause and request a rewarding from the Virtue fund of 50 thrones towards purchase of white granite to build the Iinspirational Tomb. In this way we celebrate the Life and Works of Ozren an Exemplar who has so inspired many throughout the Empire. May Pride and Wisdom guide you.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (682-604)

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' With the blessing of the Assembly of Nine (Judgement 212 Autumn 386YE) I seek 62 Thrones to reward the Empire's Ambition in sacrificing international trade as the cost of our fight to spread the Way in Asavea. Soon enough this will no longer be needed as the Asavean blockade fails, but until then we must stay the course
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (588-800)

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to improve the Congregation of Corey Wayfarer. He has demonstrated his Ambition to destroy the Vallorn by creating opportunities to create Isealla's Dance, he raised the mandate to mobilise the Navarr and is continuing to work towards the destruction of Vallorn
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (89-110)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eddard Wormhearth
* '''Judgement:''' I seek your aid in rewarding the one known as Valen Du Froste. During battle their Courage and Loyalty was undeniable when they saved two lives in battle that were moments from being lost; an act that was both selfless and strategic. Driven by a deep sense of Pride for there fellow Dawnish and a Vigilance that goes beyond duty, they acted with the Wisdom to make the right choice under pressure. Their Ambition was not for personal gain but for the continued Prosperity of their fellow men-at-arms. Its with great honour that I ask Valen Du Froste to be rewarded with 60 crowns from the virtue fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (466-340)

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Arawyn Whisperleaf
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Geraint Brownyns Rest with 8 wains of white granite to be put towards the City of Dreams. This is an investment in to the future of the NAvarr and will allow us to seek new ways to use liao.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (478-276)

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' No price too high to achieve your dreams - Sorcha Ashwood is a broker who has a vision of a Navarr brimming with prosperity after we end the vallorn, and she pours her every action in striding towards it. She has an ability to get national projects funded through skill and hard work in her brokering, encourages other brokers to join her in seeing and reaching towards her shining vision of our future, and uses the rewards of her success to further ensure we are ready to meet the fight with the vallorn to be able to get there. The fixed point in the distance is the only thing fixed in her journey - she skillfully steps along the ever shifting path in the dance that will get her there, for she knows that Survival is Change. Be inspired by her Ambition and how she strides towards it, and reward her in kind
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (105-32)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 144|Judgement 144]]

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Broc
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Eleri Bronwens Rest with 12 wains of mithril to be put towards the army currently mustering in Hercynia. The army will be put to use defending the Empires borders to help safeguard the spiritual centre of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (576-268)

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Belloza Fidanza
* '''Judgement:''' Each summit, the Warforge project: Provides newcomers to Anvil with magical equipment to help support them as they settle into Anvil life; Ensures there is demand for the skills of Artisans and that they are Prosperously paid for their work. This project is guided by the hard work of Serafina di Sarvos who gets no reward for herself. The Synod recognises and rewards this hard work - and the promotion of Prosperity and Vigilance among Imperial citizens - with seven Thrones.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (722-228)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Elysium
* '''Judgement:''' For their unwavering endeavour to thwart the Winter eternal Agramant, and the strides made along this path, the most impactful of which, so far, has been banning cannibalism. This was not a road without many obstacles and challenges along the way but even the mightiest forest can be felled one tree at a time. We reward Tyburn Weaver, Grandmaster of the Shuttered Lantern, 15 thrones from the Virtue Fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (352-292)

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cyrus son of Noah
* '''Judgement:''' Award Merari, Senator for Bastion, 5 wains of white granite towards the restoration of Berechiah's Basilica in Bastion. It was hallowed with true liao in 385Y and has provided only a fraction of the benefit it might have. Now, when we need Berechiah's inspiration to fight foreign espionage rings is the perfect time to complete the work.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (570-210)

===Judgement 114===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Lia Adelaar van Holberg plays the great game and has, with the Sandfisher loan for the Lakesedge Highway, taught the Sandfishers well how the League competes in life and keeps count in coin. By the ring on her finger does she wear her loyalty to this cause close. We ask the citizens of the League to hasten her work in bringing the Sandfishers to the Way and the Empire by supporting her congregation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (212-0)

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tamar
* '''Judgement:''' We seek to reward Rebekah of the Cenotaph for her work in uncovering and collating information about the "new" eternal threatening the Bay of Catazar. Her peerless pursuit of this task is a demonstration of the commitment that the Virtue of Ambition demands.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (300-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' Being Vigilant to the dangers of the world Paulk Thornweaver created and funded the Treji Armoury. His Ambition is to support all who take the field, so finances will never be a barrier to our people using the best equipment possible. The Treji Armoury saves lives, with his actions today having consequences for years to come. Virtue is in action and the Ambition of Paulk is worthy of recognition. Let us build him up as he has built up the people of our Nation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-72)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 62|Judgement 62]] and [[#Judgement 85|Judgement 85]]

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sister Meredith
* '''Judgement:''' In her time as Conscience of the Senate, <u>Richard of Upwold</u>, inspired by a desire to build her fellows up, was instrumental in the creation of the <u>Judgement of Exhaltation</u>. This tool will enable us to better recognise deserving Imperials and virtuous Marchers. May her ambition live in our long Marcher memory! With her dogged stubbornness driving her Pride, she exemplifies the <u>Spirit of the Marches</u>.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (122-80)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 150|Judgement 150]]

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Alfred Aewalfson
* '''Judgement:''' The Marcher Nations Assembly recognises Jedidiah Boon for his tenacity and steadfastness in representing his constituents in Anvil. We would see him rewarded with a team at the Capodomus Cathedral so he may improve and strengthen his craft as a priest, and continue striving for his ambition of a greater and more Prideful Mournwold
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (198-52)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 146|Judgement 146]]

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:''' We the Freeborn Assembly claim the opportunity given by the Capodomus Cathedral to award Suspiria i Riqueza with an upgraded resource in recognition of their demonstrated Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (140-0)

===Judgement 171===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Amris Johan Merikovich
* '''Judgement:''' We the Varushkan National Assembly have heard the tale of Aunty Armand Mariyavich Remislav and seek to recognise and reward them. As Loremaster and Enchantress, now Wise One, they ensured their people knew the tales of Varushka, and taught them to respect their Elders, rather than respecting only Glory. They prepared and faced difficult choices as a Varushkan, not as a citizen of Dawn. They kept to the road, realising Dawn was no longer their home and led their house back to their ancestral home in Volodmartz. We seek to help them in reconstructing their Vale and call for the upgrade of their dragonbone forest.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (240-0)

===Judgement 175===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Chrysaor
* '''Judgement:''' Mori of House Elyan requires the necessary ingredients to upgrade her herb garden through a judgement of rewarding. With the intent to produce Bloodharrow Philtres to be used by Dawnish fighters in combat with the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-20)

===Judgement 186===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Caduceus of Aureate Peak
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise and seek to reward the AMBITION of Callista of the Dark Shard, who has worked throughout Urizen to see the ambitions of others be brought into the light and realised. Those inspired by their work to build a better empire through precise and elegant application of effort should heed the words of Estella Lucati at the consecration of Capodomus Cathedral and the work displayed there. Let us strengthen her congregation so they may continue to help all pursue their goals, for nothing is beyond our grasp.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (164-10)

===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Meep
* '''Judgement:''' The words of the Ancestors grow stronger in Anvil. They thunder in Orc ears at the Sentinel Gate, they observe the power that flows from the Imperial Regio, and last summit, our Shamans, heard them speak of Legends in the pit. Once again, the Consecration of Capodomus Cathedral calls out for an Ambition, and once again, the Shamans of Anvil answer with the words of Ancestors. The third gathering of “Audience of the Ancestors” speaks, and the Unshackled National Assembly echoes their words. We name KADD and their Ambition to liberate the orcs of the broken shore to be recognised by all Imperial Orcs. Gather your strength and help them build up their resource. May their Legend carry them Across the Abyss!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (40-0)

===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Trencher Smoulder in the Cold
* '''Judgement:''' To my fellow citizens, I put myself forward as an individual who has exemplified myself as a Wintermarker. Through working with those who were abandoned by the Empire and left to Blood-on-the-Snow, I was able to bring them back on the path of the Way and help them mend their skein. This showed a love for three people and one nation. Let the Capodomus Cathedral uplift my hero's home as a beacon for all who strive.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (44-0)

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Summer Solstice.
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Wintermark unless enacted by the Wintermark Assembly. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in the nation, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[The_final_cut#Questions_for_Wintermark|The final cut]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Winter 387YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
At the start of the Summer Solstice 387YE summit, the Virtue Fund stood as follows:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>105 thrones, 1 crown, 7 rings</td><td>12 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>8 wains</td><td>1 dose</td>
</table>

Total donations made were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>56 thrones, 4 crowns, 8 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

The total amounts carried forward to the next summit were:
<table class='wikitable sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Money'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Mithril'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''White Granite'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Weirwood'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''True Liao'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>81 thrones, 7 crowns, 15 rings</td><td>nil</td><td>nil</td><td>8 wains</td><td>nil</td>
</table>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations received prior to the start of the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 1 throne, 2 crowns at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]]
* 2 thrones at the counting house of [[Tassato]]
* 1 throne, 3 crowns at the counting house of [[Semmerholm]]
* 1 throne, 4 crowns at the counting house of [[Karsk]]
* 6 wains of mithril, 8 wains of white granite and 8 wains of weirwood from [[The_greatest_plurality#One_Empire|various donations]]
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of Rewardings made at the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 7 thrones to '''Belloza Fidanza''' following [[#Judgement 99|Judgement 99]] being upheld (margin 494)
* 5 wains of white granite to '''Cyrus, Son of Noah''' following [[#Judgement 107|Judgement 107]] being upheld (margin 360)
* 12 wains of mithril to '''Broc''' following [[#Judgement 94|Judgement 94]] being upheld (margin 308)
* 3 wains of white granite (out of 8 requested) to '''Arawyn Whisperleaf''' following [[#Judgement 80|Judgement 80]] being upheld (margin 202)
* 7 thrones, 6 crowns to '''Eddard Warmhearth''' following [[#Judgement 72|Judgement 72]] being upheld (margin 126)
* 50 thrones to '''Starac Sijed Orzel''' following [[#Judgement 5|Judgement 5]] being upheld (margin 78)
* 15 thrones to '''Elysium''' following [[#Judgement 102|Judgement 102]] being upheld (margin 60)
</div>

Click ''Expand'' to see a list of donations made during the summit.

<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
* 55 thrones for the Bourse dose of True Liao from '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold'''
* 6 crowns from '''Rafael Barossa d'Apulian'''
* 4 crowns, 17 rings from '''Leonardo i Del'Toro i Riqueza'''
* 1 crown from '''Berith Martel'''
* 11 rings in small donations
</div>

==Doses of True Liao==

Seven doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to '''Vesna Borkovna Prochnost''' as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to the '''Earl of Fools''' via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to '''Trencher Smoulder in the Cold''' by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to '''Moraža, Boyar of the Darkwater Vale''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Percival of the Summerstrong''' by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose [[Two_suns_in_the_sunset#The_Just_Rewards_of_Your_Labours|gifted]] by the [[Sumaah Republic]] to [[We_give_the_future_to_the_winds#Flames_and_Faith|'''Boorra Talighar''']] by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to '''Luca di Sarvos''' by resolution of the [[Sun_Chamber#Past_Lives|Sun Chamber]]

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 46 || 634 || 318
|-
|Courage || 35 || 439 || 220
|-
|Loyalty || 79 || 1136 || 569
|-
|Pride || 34 || 446 || 224
|-
|Prosperity || 37 || 459 || 230
|-
|Vigilance || 60 || 802 || 402
|-
|Wisdom || 54 || 730 || 366
|-
|The Way || 28 || 312 || 157
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

{|
! scope=""col"" style=""width: 320px;"" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 19 || 244 || 123
|-
|Dawn || 55 || 721 || 361
|-
|Highguard || 82 || 1262 || 632
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 8 || 106 || 54
|-
|League || 33 || 478 || 240
|-
|Marches || 26 || 306 || 154
|-
|Navarr || 43 || 511 || 256
|-
|Urizen || 30 || 370 || 186
|-
|Varushka || 38 || 512 || 257
|-
|Wintermark || 39 || 448 || 225
|-
|General || 373 || 4958 || 2480
|-
|}

==Anchor the Way in Asavea==
Click ''Expand'' to see the list of contributions made to Anchor the Way in Asavea.
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
{{CommissionProgress|Anchor_the_Way_in_Asavea}}
</div>

Even darkness must pass

2025-09-01T21:49:39Z

Rosemary: /* Do Not Be Too Eager */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:387YE Autumn]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Even Darkness Must Pass.jpg|caption=In the end it's only a passing thing, this shadow.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==To See Such Times==
In the [[Sarangrave]], chaos reigns. It is a season of ruin, of madness, bloodshed and terror, fury and despair, magic and steel and water and twisted bough, poison and hope, light and darkness, endings and beginnings. You can feel it in the air. The red dice are rolling, the world is in free-fall and nobody has the slightest idea of what will be showing when they finally come to rest.

The blight of [[Rivers Run Red|ruinous Spring magic]] begins to settle over the waters here, but at the last moment it frays and falls to pieces. Instead, a different power of magic spreads out, filling the waters with [[Rivers of Life|wholesome healing power]]. Imperial magicians have undone the scheme of the Druj, replacing their malign curse of death with a benign curse of life for everyone fighting here.

There is plenty of other magic at work here. The behemoth god-beast Kroll has risen from the nameless lake to loom over the [[Sarangrave#Palace of the Sleepers|Palace of the Sleepers]], and yet the Palace itself [[Root_and_branch#Shine_a_Light_(Battle_Opportunity)|has vanished]]. Wards and traps unfold across the marshes and the forests laid down by fleeing magicians and desperate covens. The [[Druj miasma]] clings to everything here, heightening feelings of fear and despair, but the Imperial armies are accompanied by thousands of golden knights drawn from the court of [[Eleonaris|Queen Eleonaris]]. Part of Zenith has fallen under Druj control, trapping Imperial armies in [[Sarangrave#Bloodwater Marsh|Bloodwater Marsh]], but the Empire moves its own soldiers to try and reclaim it. The power of the [[Irra Harah|Shackle Smasher]] has been unleashed in the [[Sarangrave#Nesustak Forest|Nesustak Forest]], while wicked wards of [[Spring magic|Spring]] and [[Night magic|Night]] run riot across the marshlands. Alliances shift, and nobody can be entirely sure who is a potential friend and who is secret foe.
==All Seem Accursed==
The chaos spills south into [[Zenith]]. The [[Towerjacks]] have come to the forest of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]]. There they meet the [[Argent Sword]]; the army of [[Inhabitants of the realms#heralds|heralds]], [[Inhabitants of the realms#Guardians|guardians]], and [[Inhabitants of the realms#Soldiers|soldiers]] from the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]] who march as part of a costly bargain wrought with the Sovereign Lords of the Cities of Autumn.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">[[File:ArgentSword_Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Argent Sword]]
[[File:TowerJacks Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Towerjacks]]</div>
The second army of [[Urizen]] is a thing of wonder. An army of minotaurs, their horns adorned with gold and steel, who march in the shadow of three dozen many-armed bronze colossi each a head taller than any mortal being. An army of hammer-wielding smiths, as broad as they are tall, warriors of the [[Estavus|City of Fire and Stone]] under contract to [[Callidus|Callidus of the Coins]]. An army of both swift-moving almost fox-like scouts with a supernatural sense for the presence of wealth, and of ox-sized silver spiders recruited from the [[Prospero|City of Bridges]] to provide expert support on matters of logistics. They march under orders from a human general, and they are unlike anything that has been seen in the Empire in living memory.

During the Summer Solstice, the [[Druj]] attempted to [[Root_and_branch#A_Sackful_Of_Poison_(Battle_Opportunity)|assail]] the marshes of [[Zenith#Proceris|Proceris]]. With the aid of the [[Yaw'nagrah|Green Mother]] they sought to [[Root_and_branch#Objective:_Stop_the_Verdant_Tenders|transform the bog octopuses]] of the waterlogged region into ravenous monsters; if not for Imperial heroes the many-legged tasty cephalopods would have undergone an unnatural growth spurt. Their scheme was stopped, those responsible scattered.

Now a [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen|ward of Night magic]] hangs over Proceris protecting it from further trouble - there are [[sentinel|sentinels]] already at work seeking out any remaining Druj and giving them swift justice. Even with the power of the ritual reduced to protect only the region where it is cast, there is nowhere for these guerillas and ambushers to hide - the empowered magic of Night sees to that. Ironic, given that empowerment was worked by the Druj in the first place…

Two armies then march to the woodlands of Lustri. The Urizen of Zenith are first to warn of the Druj trap. The [[Druj armies#Tainted Basilisk|Tainted Basilisk]] have worked their own enchantment on the forest, weaving an entangling net of Spring magic between the trees. The effect is horribly familiar - a ward that is all too easy to pass into but almost impossible to escape. Druj warriors and awful venomous abominations alike sneak and skitter between the trunks of the dark woodlands waiting for the armies to put a foot wrong.

They have reckoned, however, without the ingenuity of the Towerjacks. This trap may be magical in nature but ultimately it is just another kind of fortification. There are safe paths here, as well as deadly ones. There are choke-points and dead-ends, killing grounds and barriers, but the Holberg engineers are no stranger to such concepts. It takes a little less than a week to reconfigure the Imperial strategy, and then with the Towerjacks in the vanguard the armies [[Army_qualities#Engineer|storm the walls]] the Druj have raised.

The fighting is bloody and terrible. The Argent Sword are disciplined but fundamentally unfamiliar with woodland fighting. The Towerjacks are adept at predicting and defusing the traps of the Druj wards, but they must still deal with the warriors and beasts protected by that magic. Blood spills and pools beneath the trees as the season rolls on. It is slow going, every step risks setting off a trap or an ambush. Yet the armies do make progress, do take those steps.

Almost immediately it is clear that the armies of the Druj are not ''in'' Lustri. It is clear they are relying on their ward to hold back any Imperial counterattack while the six armies that [[Root_and_branch#Dark_Beneath_the_Boughs|came down from Therunin]] have pressed into the Sarangrave in hope of slaughtering the Empire’s soldiers in the southern Sarangrave.

It might have worked. The ward is powerful, but the Towerjacks make all the difference. They unravel the puzzle, match cunning for cunning, disable the traps, and break through the dead-ends and barricades of writhing thorns. Ten days before the Autumn Equinox news comes from the front; the armies of Urizen and the League have been victorious. Lustri is now in Imperial hands once more.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">[[File:GranitePillar Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Granite Pillar]]
[[File:WinterSun Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Winter Sun]]</div>
==So Our Path Is Laid==
Six armies of Druj, out of Therunin, fresh from the [[Zenith#The_Stork's_Gaze_(Ruined)|ruination of the Stork’s Gaze]]. Without exception they hurl themselves into the fray, an [[Army orders#Overwhelming Assault|overwhelming assault]] against the Bloodwater Marsh and the Imperial armies caught between their hammer and the twin anvils of the [[vallorn]] of [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] and the colossal [[fortification]] of the [[Sarangrave#Tower_of_the_Skink|Tower of the Skink]].

There is a desperation to their strategy; it seems that several of these [[Druj armies|armies]] are drawn from the septs of the marshlands. Six armies. The [[Druj armies#Arrow Viper|Arrow Viper]] and the [[Druj armies#Thorn Born|Thorn Born]], the [[Druj armies#Jagged Claws|Jagged Claws]] and the [[Druj armies#Hunting Scorpion|Hunting Scorpion]]; the [[Druj armies#Flame Beetle|Flame Beetle]] and of course the Tainted Basilisk. They have pulled out all the stops; almost all of them bear an [[enchantment]] of [[Spring magic]] that grants them the cunning of the predators coupled with a thirst for blood and mayhem found nowhere in the animal kingdom. The blessings of the Tainted Basilisk.

They face two Imperial armies - the [[Winter Sun]] and the [[Granite Pillar]]. The Granite Pillar continues to fight alongside the [[Knights of Glory]] drawn from the [[Realms#Summer|Summer realm]], who relish every opportunity to strike against the hated Druj. The Winter Sun bear a different boon - a strange enchantment of Night magic whose effects are at first not entirely clear. The [[Granite Pillar]] have their work cut out for them, holding the territory the Empire has already taken while the Winter Sun focus on [[Army_qualities#Freedom_Fighters|seeking out native forces]] that might aid the Empire’s plans.

Battle erupts across the Bloodwater Marshes again - the Empire fights against the desperate, furious Druj and their vicious enchantments. Like the orcs, they are also caught between hammers and Anvils. From the south-west, six armies. From the east, the Tower of the Skink. To the north of them, the vallorn and the feverwater. A war in microcosm, as the Imperial armies must split their attention between pushing into Whisperwood and fighting off nearly thirty thousand powerfully enchanted Druj warriors.

==Watcher in the Water==
In the north, the [[Druj lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] of the Palace of the Sleepers, along with their college of magic, have disappeared. They have left behind a terrible beast; the catastrophically large single-eyed octopoid horror that they called from the lake below their conical hill. As large as a castle, the supernatural terror sweeps aside the soldiers arrayed against it with its immense muscular tentacles.

As it fights, it lets loose terrible booming cries that cause the lake around it to surge and explode upwards. The ground itself runs like water, miring those trying to fight their way clear of the area. It soon becomes clear that the god-beast Kroll does not intend to fight alone. In answer to its thunderous call come hundreds upon hundreds of bog octopuses. Not the tiny cephalopods that throng in the marshes of Proceris to the south, but full-grown beasts that sometimes rival an ox-wagon in size. They erupt from the marshes, falling on the Imperial armies.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">[[File:CitadelGuard Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Citadel Guard]]
[[File:EasternSky Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Eastern Sky]]
[[File:TheFireoftheSouth Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Fire of the South]]
[[File:GoldenAxe Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Golden Axe]]
[[File:GryphonPride Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Gryphon's Pride]]
[[File:LionsAdelmar Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Lions of Adelmar]]
[[File:NorthernEagle Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Northern Eagle]]
[[File:QuietStep Colour.png|link=387YE_Summer_Solstice_Military_Council_orders#Quiet Step]]</div>
While they fight, the Druj forces battling to keep Sarangrave fall back. They seek to take advantage of the confusion to flank the northern force - the [[Eastern Sky]], the [[Fire of the South]], the [[Gryphon's Pride]], the [[Lions of Adelmar]], the [[Northern Eagle]] and the [[Boyar's Hasta]], and the [[Summer Storm]], joined by the [[Quiet Step]] from the Barrens, and the [[Citadel Guard]] and [[Golden Axe]] driving north with some preternatural force.

Arrayed against them are the [[Druj armies#Deadly Blade|Deadly Blade]] and the [[Druj armies#Hidden Snake|Hidden Snake]], the [[Druj armies#Hidden Widow|Hidden Widow]] and the [[Druj armies#Poison Crane|Poison Crane]], the [[Druj armies#White Lion|White Lion]] and the [[Druj armies#Red Lizard|Red Lizard]]. They are no less desperate than those attacking in the south, and many of them bear the same enchantment - a parting gift from the ghulai of the Palace of the Sleepers no doubt. The Deadly Blade and the Hidden Widow supplement their vicious attacks with terrible venoms, which they distribute among the other armies freely. Their aim is clearly to kill as many Imperial soldiers as possible; an aim that is proudly supported by the cruelty and merciless tactics of the [[Druj armies#Black Wind|Black Wind]]. They wield the power of fear and despair as a weapon that is well-suited to their hands.

It is just as well that the water here runs with life, or their murderous plan would have taken an unspeakable toll against the Empire.

Completing the conquest of Kroll requires a confrontation with the god-beast of the lake and its multitude of progeny. The Eastern Sky and the Gryphon’s Pride hurl themselves against the immense octopus with resolute fury, revelling in the chance to accrue unlooked for [[glory]] by facing this monstrous beast. The [[Lions of Adelmar]] need all their defensive mastery to ensure the other Dawnish armies are not torn to pieces by their courageous assault. In the end, they cannot defeat the beast alone; it takes the arrows of the [[Golden Axe]] to finally inflict enough damage on the beast that it is forced to retreat. Not slain - but driven off. It dives deep into the depths of the lake, leaving behind a lake stained black with ichor. Presumably, it has returned whence it came - back to the Spring realm to recover from its wounds. Hopefully this will take a long time indeed.

The beast inflicts serious casualties on the armies arrayed against it, and even after it is driven off, its progeny continue to harass the Imperial forces and the Druj armies with equal indiscrimination.

==Where You Might Be Swept Off To==
In the end, the Empire is victorious. Their magical mastery, their zeal, and sheer force of numbers win the day. It is a close-run thing; when the water begins to clear the Imperial forces have claimed Kroll in the east and are four-tenths of the way toward taking the Nesustak Forest in the west. In the south, the four armies have not only held off the six Druj armies, but they have pressed forward into the Whisperwood and are three-fifths of the way towards capturing it entirely.

Yet the chaos shows no sign of ending. When it is clear that the Empire has the upper hand, when Kroll disappears beneath the surface of the lake, most of the Druj armies abandon Sarangrave. Harried by Imperial raiders, they pull back into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]]. That is not to say that the territory has been abandoned however; the Tower of the Skink still dominates the [[Sarangrave#Thornfen|Thornfen]] and represents a major obstacle to Imperial control of the territory.

Not all the armies have retreated however; the Hidden Snake and the Poison Crane have pulled back to Thornfen to bolster the garrison of the fortification. In a way they have no choice; the septs that support them are Sarangrave steps and if they abandon the territory they will suffer increasing losses. It is not a matter of courage or loyalty, but of fear - the fear that if they leave their territory they will be seen as weak and expendable by the other Druj of the Mallum.

In the south, the six armies that attacked out of Zenith are in an even worse state - they have been forced out of the Bloodwater Marshes but they cannot retreat into Lustri without facing catastrophic losses at the hands of the two armies there - and risking being trapped in their own web of traps. Their situation is a mirror of that which faced the Druj in Zenith several years ago when the Empire trapped them in the south. It is fortunate for the orcs - and unfortunate for the Empire - that the Tainted Basilisk are with the southern force. They have already demonstrated their ability to weave Night magic, to create a shroud of power that allows armies to move through dangerous territories. Yet where will they go? Will they risk slipping through the Imperial lines to the Salt Flats? Try to make a stand at the Tower of the Skink? Or perhaps find a way to escape into Therunin - and the uncertainty of the vallorn?

==Do Not Be Too Eager==
There is one other matter that demands Imperial attention. An unexpected development. As the Imperial armies in the north press into the Nesustak forest, they find the Druj defenders and the sept of the Banded Snake in disarray. Their defence seems uncoordinated, confused, sporadic. The further the armies push west the clearer it becomes that something is afoot.

The Druj magicians have raised a ward of Night magic here, and it serves to aid the defenders, but there is something else afoot. The Banded Snake seem to be fighting on two fronts. As the Autumn Equinox draws near, the truth of what is unfolding becomes clear. A force of former Druj slaves, subject septs, and children of the [[Irra Harah|Prince with a Thousand Foes]] have been quietly gathering in the depths of the forest and now they have struck against the Druj. Taking their former overlords by surprise, exploiting the fact that the focus of the masters of the Mallum was on the Empire, they attacked without warning. The Druj panicked - unprepared to fight those they had considered broken. Their former masters were overwhelmed quickly thanks in large part to the support of the ''Thorn of the Ancestors''. Those who were not slaughtered by the Empire have fallen under the knives, spears, and clubs of the risen slaves. A week before the Autumn Equinox it becomes clear that these free slaves have claimed the rest of the Nesustak Forest - that the Druj who remain are hunted fugitives.

At the same time, in the south, the power of Night magic enshrouds the Winter Sun. It hones the intuition of the soldiers, and urges them to find those who will make common cause with them, focusing their efforts to [[Army_qualities#Freedom_Fighters|break the chains]] of the Druj slaves. Those who fight to free the slaves and the conquered septs, rather than focusing on taking land or slaying the Druj, find that the voices of their ancestors become clearer and clearer - and that some of those ancestor voices are very old indeed. Ancient orcs of the Mallum, pressed into slavery by the old Imperials, drawn not from the Druj but from those who were their slaves. Terrible tales of those who fled tyranny to find death and enslavement waiting for them when they left the Mallum at the hands of humans who saw them as little better than beasts.

Normally, these voices are loud, angry, full of fear and hate. Under the influence of Night magic, those sincerely fighting to liberate the septs find these voices quiet, become clearer, become more lucid. Distant memories of ancient pacts and traditions empower the Winter Sun to reassure those who have spent too long under the thumb of the Druj that they are not the enemy. They can do little to moderate the fear that these orcs feel for the other Imperial armies… but it is a start. A unique chance to treat with the survivors of centuries of oppression.

It is while they fight in the Bloodwater Marsh and the Whisperwood that this approach bears dividends. The [[Make_it_happen#The_Bloodwater_Spears|Bloodwater Spears]] have been missing from the Sarangrave since the Imperial forces first crossed the border from Lustri. It now becomes clear that they had simply been waiting for an opportunity. Some are in Nesustak Forest working with the rebels there; others have been in the Whisperwood quietly recruiting the elders of the [[Make_it_happen#The_Water_Walkers|Water Walkers]] sept to their cause. An alliance between the two groups has been forged, and now they reach out to the [[Imperial Orcs|Unshackled]]. They make common cause - but they also know how to exploit the situation.

As the Winter Sun press forward, the Spears and the Walkers launch their own forays into the Whisperwood. The mighty Fortress of the Skink still provides a measure of support for the beleaguered Druj forces here, as they fall back. As the Empire advances, the rebel orcs give their own signal and bands of them attack where they can, picking off lone Druj warriors and exacting a bloody revenge. Druj scouts are discovered hanging from trees, their bodies held aloft by grim nooses formed from their own entrails. Druj supply wagons burned, the bodies of the paymasters chained to the charred remains. Corpses of Pakkad and Chikad warriors with their eyes and tongues torn out.

Beneath the dark boughs of the Whisperwood, the waters of the Sarangrave seethe with boiling fury, a thirst for vengeance that no amount of murder can slake. The Spears and the Walkers clearly have designs of their own on the Whisperwood and they are far from friends of the Empire. But for the Druj there is only the most pure and undiluted hatred.

==Even The Very Wise Cannot See All Ends==
As the Autumn Equinox draws close, the leaders of the ramshackle rebellion have a message for the Empire. Their message, relayed by those Winter Sun orcs who have fought most closely with them, is that they will not harass the Empire’s troops as long as they focus their attention on the Druj. If they seek to attack the rebels in Nesustak Forest or Whisperwood, they will protect themselves.

When the Druj are finally driven from the Sarangrave, there will be a chance to talk about what happens next. Then hopefully the Empire will know whether they have come to the Mallum as liberators, or conquerors? They cannot be both, after all.

==Game Information==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Regions of Sarangrave.png|align=right|width=500}}</div>
===Sarangrave===
* '''Nobody has dominion of Sarangrave
* '''The Empire controls three regions'''
* '''The Druj control two regions'''
* '''The vallorn controls one region'''
* '''The rebels control one region'''
The Empire has claimed Kroll and now controls that region along with Turn Flats and Bloodwater Marsh. The Druj still hold the Tower of the Skink and the surrounding region of Thornfen, and for now they cling on in Whisperwood. Two armies - the Poison Crane and the Hidden Snake - are still in Thornfen, bolstering the fortification there. The other Druj armies in the north have abandoned the territory and withdrawn into the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]].

The Palace of the Sleepers appears to have disappeared. It is not clear if this is a permanent disappearance, a transportation of some kind similar to that used to try and protect the Halls of Knowledge, or simply a shroud of some kind. It’s also not clear what this will mean for the Tainted Basilisk, who rely on the Palace and the associated ghulai and septs to support their army.
===Rebel Orcs===
* '''Rebellious former slaves of the Druj claim the Nesustak Forest'''
* '''Some of the rebellious orc faction are Water Walkers who have been recognised as foreigners by the Senate'''
Last season’s enchantment on the Nesustak Forest, placed by Imperial magicians, seems to have empowered [[Irra Harah]] to throw his entire weight behind these rebels, and that region is now in the control of the rebellious Sarangrave septs. Supported by Irra Harah, they have launched a surprise attack. With the Druj armies cut off from the region by the Imperial invasion, the Bloodwater Spears, the Water Walkers, and an unknown sept have taken the opportunity to overthrow the Druj, butchering the handful of remaining tepel and their guards to seize control.

It seems the rebels would like to have pulled off the same in the Whisperwood, but here the going is much harder, with the Druj armies based in Thornfen defending fiercely. If the Druj abandon the territory completely, or are forced out of Thornfen, then it's possible the rebels could claim more of the territory.

The Empire has made serious inroads into Nesustak (two-fifths towards claiming it) and Whisperwood (three-fifths towards claiming it). With Nesustak falling into the control of the rebels, it is impossible to take any more of the region without fighting and killing the rebel orcs that have risen up and displaced the Druj there - and the Senate recently recognised the Water Walkers as foreigners. The Whisperwood is a simpler prospect - the Empire could seize control of it by driving the Druj out, if they continue as they are.

The rebels show no signs of trusting or liking the Empire. There has been contact with the Winter Sun, but the most it has achieved so far is an agreement not to attack each other. The rebels won’t share what knowledge they have, and they don't have the force of arms to attack the Tower of the Skink. It is not clear if there is a basis to negotiate - they appear to want the Sarangrave for themselves, and for their fellows, rather than see it conquered by the Empire. At the moment their ability to do so is limited due to their lack of anything approaching an [[Imperial army]] in strength… but if they got control of the [[Sarangrave#Fingers of the Devourer|Fingers of the Devourer]] in the Whisperwood it would be dangerous to assume they cannot find a way to ''make'' an army.
===Disaster in the South===
* '''Six Druj armies are fighting on the border between Zenith and Sarangrave'''
* '''Their disposition depends on what happens during the Autumn Equinox'''
The six armies in the south of the Sarangrave have nowhere to go - they have been driven out of Sarangrave but cannot withdraw into a safe region. For the moment they are fighting on the border, but it is clear that they have plans to escape. They will likely intend to take advantage of Night magic to do so, as they did when they escaped Zenith after they were trapped by the Empire.
{{CaptionedImage|file=EleonarisArt.jpg|align=right|width=250}}
===The Weight of Glory===
* '''Soldiers in armies enchanted with Knights of Glory this season are becoming more attuned to the Summer Realm
* '''The Sarangrave armies under this enchantment this season can no longer use the ''Give Ground'' or ''Cautious Advance'' orders
In the reign of [[Empress Brannan]] there was a growing problem that armies were becoming reliant on Knights of Glory, but more importantly that exposure to the glorious knights of the Summer Realm was having an unlooked for effect on Imperial soldiers. It seems that the excitement of fighting in the Mallum is, indeed, starting to affect the Empire’s loyal warriors - possibly because of the oppressive aura of fear coupled with the feeling of pride and strength exposure to the heralds of the Fields of Glory brings.

During the next season, any Imperial army in Sarangrave that was supported by Knights of Glory this season cannot take the [[Army orders#Cautious Advance|Cautious Advance]] or [[Army orders#Give Ground|Give Ground]] orders. If the [[general]] issues such an order it will default to [[Army orders#Balanced Attack|Balanced Attack]] or [[Army orders#Solid Defence|Solid Defence]] instead. This effect persists until the army in question has spent an entire year without experiencing the Knights of Glory enchantment.

It may be possible to ameliorate this effect by other means but it is not clear quite how this might be done. The national or virtue assemblies of the Imperial Synod may be able to assist in this matter, perhaps with a suitably worded statement of principle.

Magicians working with the armies point out that this is not something the heralds, or their eternal mistress, are actively ''doing''. It is rather a side effect of extended exposure to the enchantment, and to the magical warriors it summons, possibly compounded by the terrible aura of fear that hangs over the Mallum. Eleonaris is not able to "stop doing this" because she and her soldiers are not actually ''doing'' anything to make this happen.

==Participation==
===Citadel and Sky ===
* '''Characters whose military unit supported the Citadel Guard or the Eastern Sky receive a potent boon
The Knights of Glory are powerful soldiers summoned from the Summer Realm and often influence the mortal soldiers they fight alongside - especially when the army and its [[Army orders|orders]] are in synch with their mistress [[Eleonaris]]. The Eastern Sky engaged in a triumphant charge against the Druj this season, and the Citadel Guard drew on unique Summer magic to empower their own strategy. In both cases, the summoned Knights enthusiastically and vocally supported their actions, and threw themselves joyously into battle against the Druj.

The captain of any military unit that fought alongside either the Eastern Sky or the Citadel Guard begins the Autumn Equinox with an [[enchantment]] - [[Glory to the Sovereign]]. This gives them two ranks of [[Combat skills#Endurance|endurance]] and the ability to call [[Calls#CLEAVE|cleave]] twice each day when wielding a [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Weapons|one-handed weapon]], [[Weapons & armour#One-handed Spears|one-handed spear]], [[Weapons & armour#Great weapons|great weapon]] or [[Weapons & armour#Pole-arms|polearm]] with which they are proficient.

As well as the game benefits, the aura creates a [[roleplaying effects|roleplaying effect]]: ''You feel a strong urge to do great deeds that will make you the centre of attention, and you take particular pleasure in approval and adulation. You particularly want to do things that will make you be seen as worthy, strong and powerful warriors; being overlooked or dismissed may cause you to lose your temper.''

The boon can be removed [[Enchantment#Removing_Enchantments|as normal]] - “overwritten” with a new enchantment - and will have faded by the start of the Winter Solstice.
===Other Knights===
* '''Characters whose military unit fought alongside any other army enchanted with Knights of Glory in Sarangrave receive a different benefit'''
Knights of Glory also fought alongside the Fire of the South, the Golden Axe, Gryphon's Pride, Lions of Adelmar, Northern Eagle, and the Granite Pillar. A character whose military unit supported one of these armies may choose to have been impacted by the experience of battling in close proximity to heralds of [[Eleonaris]].
* If you possess the [[heroic skills#hero|hero]] skill, you may choose to increase your number of hero points by one until the end of the Autumn Equinox.
* If you do not have the hero skill, you gain an additional temporary hero point which, once spent, is permanently gone. It will have faded entirely by the end of the Autumn Equinox regardless.
Anyone who chooses to gain this benefit also experiences a roleplaying effect that lasts until the end of the Autumn Equinox: ''You feel a strong urge to do great deeds that will make you the centre of attention, and you take particular pleasure in approval and adulation. You particularly want to do things that will make you be seen as worthy, strong and powerful warriors; being overlooked or dismissed may cause you to lose your temper.''

==Battle Opportunity : To Deal Out Death in Judgement==
The Imperial prognosticators have identified a [[Sentinel Gate#Major Conjunction|major conjunction]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] that seems to open in the Bloodwater Marsh. They believe it offers some opportunity to influence the strategies of the Druj armies currently caught between two forces of Imperial soldiers.
==Further Reading==
* [[Sarangrave]]
* [[Druj]]

* [[Make it happen]] - 384YE Summer Wind of Fortune about some of the septs of the Sarangrave
* [[Root and branch]] - 387YE Summer Wind of War about the continuing battle for Sarangrave
* [[Unlock thy hidden gate]] - 387YE Spring Wind of War about the start of the battle for Sarangrave

Callidus

2025-08-15T16:06:23Z

Rosemary: /* Concerns */

{{CaptionedImage|file=CallidusArt.jpg|title="Chains" artist unknown. Depicts the Argent Tower, allegedly the residence of the eternal himself in the heart of his sinister city.|caption=''Chains'' allegedly symbolises the way that desire can become a trap.|align=left|width=400}}
==Eternal of Autumn==
===Sobriquets===
Known as the ''Prince of the Argent Tontine'', Callidus is most concerned with greed.

He is also called ''Sovereign-Lord of the City of Chains'', a fanciful reference to the many deals and agreements he has made - as far as anyone knows he does not rule an actual city at all (despite rumours that he owns a portable citadel of iron and white basalt), preferring to remain a peripatetic instigator. Some [[mountebank|mountebanks]] and [[hakima]] refer to him as the ''Golden Bargainer'', whilst [[vate|vates]] and [[magister|magisters]] will often use the ''Keeper of the Gilded Chains''.

===Appearance===
Callidus is a potent horned male with fine clothing. He is rarely encountered without a ledger or two, and never without the ability to create a contract.

He is usually accompanied by one or more of his [[#The Secretaries of the Argent Tontine|secretaries]] - clever eternals in their own right who serve as his proxies and advisors. His massive appointment tome, the Iron Ledger, is kept by his meticulous heralds, who often appear as [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[cambion|cambions]]. Scrupulous and precise, Callidus sometimes sends heralds to offer bargains, or to follow-up on bargains made by others.

===Concerns===
Callidus seeks to control everything through greed and desire. He exemplifies the idea that everyone wants something, and that by identifying their desires and being able to supply their needs, an individual can wield immense power. He also sees greed itself as the primary motivating force of living things, and supports and extols philosophies that highlight the influence of avarice and wealth.

While all Autumn eternals enjoy bargains, Callidus revels in them. He invariably creates a contract to cover any agreement he makes, and is the Autumn eternal most likely to invoke the [[Lictors]] to witness an important agreement. He invariably sticks to the letter of a contract, and some bargainers have met unfortunate fates due to not reading their agreement carefully enough. He can and has been bested in his bargains, and tales are told of heroes who dealt with the Silver Prince and came away rich, but his nature is such that a bargain that seems fair at first often grows more constrictive and dangerous as time goes by.... Callidus is quite pragmatic; he does not hold those who best him in contempt; he often tries to arrange an audience with them to discuss how they bested his contract, so that he can avoid the same mistakes another time. However, he is absolutely ruthless in hunting down anyone who breaks a bargain they have made with him.

Callidus has no single home within the Autumn realm, but instead cultivates an ability to be in the right place at the right time. While his movements seem random, through synchronicity he often finds himself in the right place at the right time to offer someone what they desperately want. His secretaries share this ability to some degree, but for some reason they are limited to appearing at crossroads; literal crossroads as well as figurative crossroads, however.

While the massive amount of business engaged in by his army of scribes and secretaries would necessitate a palace of bureaucracy, instead all such paperwork is contained within the single Iron Ledger. The Ledger itself seems to operate on much the same principles as Callidus himself; simply by inserting his hand he seems to be able to pull out the document he is seeking.

Callidus must surely have an enormous collection of religious items, after centuries of buying such things from mortals, but where he keeps this vault is unknown. Fanciful tales claim that his immense wealth is stored by the [[Lictors]], while others say that his Ledger can be "unfolded" to reveal a massive citadel of iron and white basalt that is his true domain.

While undoubtedly the equal in power of any of the rulers of the cities of Autumn, Callidus does not compete with them directly. Rather he acts as a broker for such beings, supplying their desires, acting as a notary and occasionally offering advice. Beings of such scope are too clever to deal with Callidus lightly, and only utilise his services when completely necessary. However, by long standing tradition Callidus is generally free to meet and bargain with any of their underlings, and thus passes across the labyrinthine paths of the Autumn realm unmolested.

Traditionally Callidus uses a Fleur-de-Lys type symbol as his seal, the three points symbolising the three Secretaries that he is currently using. Competition to remain at such a level is fierce, and his underlings constantly scheme to advance themselves.

The Prince of the Argent Tontine is fascinated with mortal religions. Callidus understands that faith is a powerful force, but one that is extremely ephemeral. One of his personal desires is to understand the value of faith, and the need it satisfies in the faithful, the better to manipulate others using their beliefs. An extremely patient eternal, he has been studying mortal religion for centuries, and often appears to tempt or bargain mortals away from their faith. Over this time he has amassed a great trove of lore on faith, and is said to possess several relics of the Imperial religion. His knowledge is best described as being 'technical' - he understands the politics of religion much better than he does individual faith.

Callidus is associated with both the rune [[Lann]], and the rune [[Queros]].

===Boons===
Bargains themselves fascinate Callidus, and he has several supernatural powers relating to creating and sealing them. He is known to possess many favours with other eternals, and to draw on them to fulfil bargains on his behalf. He is particularly keen of getting bargainers into his debt, and reinforcing his ability to call those debts due with curses. His bargains are more likely to involve the bargainer doing or not doing something in return for a favour or service - it is less likely to involve mere payment with materials.

His most potent abilities deal with the manipulation of desire and greed, and guiding serendipity to increase wealth. He also possesses several abilities that deal with bonds, especially bonded items, and is said to be able to locate highly desired items in the material world with sufficient inducement, especially those that are unique or exotic.

Some priests are interested in the religious artefacts Callidus has gathered, but they tend to be very leery about entering into a bargain with the eternal. Callidus appears to take particular delight in challenging and testing priests and other strongly religious characters who come to deal with him.

==The Secretaries of the Argent Tontine==
Unlike eternals such as [[Basileus Flint]], Callidus runs a tight ship. The eternals who serve him do so out of a belief in his creed and a desire to increase their own wealth and service their own needs. There are few stories of incidents where one of them attempts to overthrow or betray Callidus, and many scholars theorise that all the eternals of the Argent Tontine are bound with oaths and contracts that keep them loyal.

The Secretaries - literally ''secret keepers'' - who serve Callidus are lesser eternals rather than heralds. They sometimes deal with the Empire directly, either pursuing their own agenda or operating as proxies for Callidus. They may arrange audiences in the [[Regio#The_Anvil_Portal|Hall of Worlds]], or send heralds on their own business. The three best known of Callidus' secretaries, who have dealt with the Empire in the past, are Numis, Malleas and Zand.

===Numis===
A female eternal who is fascinated by the role of coins and hard currency in agreements. She occasionally likes to take credit for inventing the idea of currency, or spreading it across the mortal realm - it is not clear if she expects this claim to be taken literally. She is the longest serving of Callidus' secretaries and is acknowledged as the entity who designed the iron coins used in many parts of the Autumn realm.

===Malleas===
A male eternal who favours gamblers and wagerers. He is known to send heralds to arrange wagers on important events, and often creates bargains that involve gambles or risky ventures - he is also known to lend money but demand extortionate rates of interest for the repayment of the debt with dire consequences for forfeiture. He has been Callidus' secretary for the shortest time (barely longer than a century or so) and is known to favour both gaudy displays of wealth and allowing others to make a pitch as to why he should invest some of it in them. He often seems to lose out on deals, but never seems to grow any less wealthy.

===Zand===
A lawyer, and usually dresses in the style of a wealthy [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[The Brass Coast economic interests#Scriveners|scrivener]], but in colours few Freeborn would choose. His robes and tagelmust are the dull metallic colours of well-handled coinage, and the deep black of oxidised silver. Scrupulous and precise, he is fascinated by the way contracts are created and used to regulate behaviour. He effects the air of a stereotypical bureaucrat – obsequious to Callidus, polite to those he wants something from, and relatively rude to those he has no use for. He is the eternal most frequently sent forth to make deals with mortals at present, but this is subject to change at Callidus' whim.

One or more of the secretaries tends to attend Callidus when he deals with mortals, and may make their own bargains at the same time.
[[Category:Eternals]]

Bulging at the Seams

2025-08-07T15:34:18Z

Rosemary: /* Additional Targets */

==Rules==
{{Season|Autumn|6}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Resource|[[mine]]}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
At the start of the next event, the target [[mine]] produces an additional six [[Materials#Metals|ingots]] of material. The additional materials are always of the same type as the basic mine, regardless of any improvements.

When the ritual is cast, the owner of the mine experiences a short-lived [[roleplaying effect]]; ''for at least the next hour you become very focused on any task you undertake, and feel an urge to involve as many nearly people as possible in whatever endeavour it is they are undertaking.'''

{{Downtime buff}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional [[mine|mines]] in the same territory. Each additional mine increases the magnitude by 4. The character who controls each mine must be present throughout the ritual.

==Description==
This ritual was codified in 383YE at the [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|The Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]], under the guidance of Ceinwen of the Eternal Family, the [[Master of Ice and Darkness]]. It was based on work originally performed by the late [[the Marches|Marcher]] magician Quay Stone of House Stone. It [[387YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Imperial_Lore:_Bulging_at_the_Seams|became part]] of [[Formulaic_ritual#Imperial_Lore_and_the_Ritual_List|Imperial lore]] during the Summer Solstice 387YE following a [[declaration]] by Arsenio Sanguineo Rezia di Tassato, [[Grandmaster]] of the [[Golden Pyramid]].

The magic infuses a mine with the power of the [[Realms#Autumn|Autumn realm]]. The main focus of the [[enchantment]] is on the miners themselves rather than the tunnels and galleries where they work. They find it easy to focus their minds on the task at hand, and become supernaturally aware of their fellow miners. A team can work together in complete silence, each member instinctively anticipating the needs and intent of those they work beside. This greatly increases efficiency, as well as reducing the risks of working underground.

As the workers bond together, they also gain a serendipitous capacity to strike out in just the right direction to find new veins of metal, and adept at following existing veins until they are completely worked out.

The enchantment is reasonably subtle, but those working the mine will become aware of the magic sporadically. They might scent smoke, ash, hot metal, or hear the sound of thumping machinery just on the edge of hearing. They will occasionally spot flickering flames out of the corer of their eyes, or imagine there are more people working alongside them than there actually are.

There may even be occasional encounters with minor spirits of the Autumn realm – especially the [[Estavus|Mountain of Shikal]] – who might provide helpful warnings of potential collapses or (very rarely) suggestions of the best direction to start new tunnels.

Regardless of the exact experience the ritual evokes, the end result of the enchantment is that significantly more ore will be extracted from the mine over the coming months.

==Common Elements==
The main focus of the ritual is, perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who own the mines to be enchanted. The ritualists might anoint them with oil or ash, or mark them with the [[Pallas|Rune of Wealth]] or the [[Hirmok|Rune of Dominion]]. Samples of the metal that their mine produces may be used as an additional focus – attuning the magic to the ore that will be recovered over the coming months.

[[Hearth magic|Hearth magics]] and symbols associated with good fortune and [[Prosperity]] are also resonant with the ritual, such as shedding small amounts of blood or offering a cup or bowl of wine or mead to the targets - especially when this involves one or more coins or polished gemstones.

The names of of figures associated with mining may be invoked – in the Marches in particular the name of [[Jonah Gold]] would resonate with the power of this ritual.
[[Category:Autumn Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Resource]]

Amalgamation of Silver and Gold

2025-07-30T20:08:22Z

Rosemary: /* Effects */

==Rules==
{{Season|Night|70}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} Performing this ritual requires a ring of [[ilium]], an ingot of [[materials#Weltsilver|weltsilver]], and a measure of [[materials#Ambergelt|ambergelt]] which are placed in an opaque container.

===Effects===
When the ritual is performed, the ritualists seal a ring of ilium, an ingot of weltsilver, and a measure of ambergelt into an opaque container. Over the course of the next hour or so, the three substances combine to create a white globe of chalky material known as the white stone.

The material is stable and permanent once created, at least until it is used. Consuming the white stone can be done in a number of ways - mixing it with liquid and drinking it, combining it with grease or oil and smearing it on the skin, or burning it in a fire and inhaling the thick smoke that results. Only one character can benefit from consuming the white stone.

It has a number of effects; if more than one would apply they take place in this order:
* It removes the effects of [[Calls#VENOM|venom]] or [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]] from any source that can be treated with ritual magic.
* It will remove a [[curse]] that involves poison, sickness, or physical debilitation. Curses in Imperial lore affected by the white stone are: [[Curse of Gangrenous Flesh]], and [[Curse of Decrepitude]]. It may remove other similar curses; the ritual [[Wisdom of the Balanced Blade]] will usually indicate if a curse can be removed by the white stone.
* It will remove the effects of mundane diseases, including [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]] or the Reikos Flux.
* Likewise it will cure many mundane poisoning, provided that poison could in theory be treated with magic. Its ability to cure those fatal substances created by an apothecary is more limited however.
* If the consumer is under the effect of a [[Potion#Poisons|poison]] brewed by an [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecary]] it will delay the onset of death. The white stone ensures that the symptoms the target is suffering will not worsen for half an hour, after which time they will proceed as normal. A given patient can only benefit from a single white stone during the course of any given poisoning but it will pause the effects of all such poisons. The target still suffers the symptoms of their current stage, however, so it is important to use the stone quickly. Given the stone takes an hour to form, it is important to have a stone on hand before the poisoning.

Any character can recognise a white stone for what it is, and its properties can be determined by [[detect magic]].

==Description==
This ritual was a [[We've_been_here_forever#Azoth|gift]] from the eternal [[Azoth]], delivered to the [[Navarr]] alchemist Ifan during the Autumn Equinox 382YE. The [[ritual text]] took the form of a peculiar sculpture that provided magical knowledge to those who examined it with the appropriate [[detect magic|cantrip]]. It represents one of a number of rituals - along with [[the Eight-Spoked Wheel]], [[the Retrograde Wheel]], and [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] that [[Night magic#Transformation|transform]] base [[materials]] - in this case to create an entirely new substance through the power of the incredibly powerful [[ilium|star metal]] to create an entirely new substance.

Where ''Distil the Serpent's Stone'' attempts to create a perfected material, a substance of higher nature than the dross of the mundane world around it, the ''Amalgamation of Silver and Gold'' creates a substance specifically intended to "perfect" the body of a mortal being. Its effects are somewhat limited however; while it can cure poison and disease, or wash away the effects of certain curses, it can only temporarily stave off the death of someone exposed to the most powerful poisons, those brewed by apothecaries. Still, some of those who have studied the ritual claim that it shows what can be achieved and that it may eventually lead to more powerful substances that can help achieve the goal of the true master alchemist - the perfection of body and spirit.

This ritual can be ruinously expensive, of course, given it requires ilium. Those who have made a study of the ritual suggest that the true potence of the white stone comes from the star metal included; that the mana "unlocks" the power of the ilium guided in some fashion by the weltsilver and ambergelt used in the preparation. Both of these materials, of course, have connections with the health of mortals (among other things) - weltsilver is very effective at shaping, directing and channelling living energies, while ambergelt has some healing and preservational properties. Some alchemists are intrigued that the ritual uses both a cold metal [[mine|mined]] from deep under the earth, and more organic living substance harvested from a [[forest]] and theorise that this combination of substances from such very different places may be worth exploring further.

Shortly before the Summer Solstice 383YE, magical scholars associated with the Lyceum discovered that the common [[magic items|magic item]] known as the [[Mask of Gold and Lead]] could be used to make the ritual easier to perform - much as it facilitated the more familiar [[the Eight-Spoked Wheel]], [[the Retrograde Wheel]], and [[Distil the Serpent's Stone]] rituals.

==Common Elements==
This is an alchemical mystery, and almost always includes elements such as fire; beakers, bowls and other pieces of alchemical equipment; water and other liquids, including blood (some ritualists use a little blood from one each of a human, a [[changeling]], a [[briar]], a [[naga]], a [[cambion]], a [[draughir]], and a [[merrow]]); charts and diagrams; and the other trappings of this ancient magical lore. Special materials and a ring of ilium, and consequently a vessel such as a crucible or cauldron are often the central focus of the magic.

Many ritualists wear masks or veils when they perform this ritual - not least because there are occasionally noxious by-products of the transformation. This ritual is often performed in private; the white stone is powerful, and can be a highly coveted treasure.

The forces of the heavens are often referenced in alchemical rituals. If the theory that the stars represent in some way the tools of the Creator are true, then evoking the power of [[astronomancy]] seems entirely appropriate to the practice of enacting permanent transformation. The constellations of [[the Great Wyrm]] and [[the Fountain]] in particular is likely to be evoked. The names of the [[eternal]] [[Azoth]] is often used although some [[aspect_magic#Goetia|goetic]] magicians also mention [[Ylenrith]] whose resonances are closely associated with concepts of purification.

The runes of [[Xun|transformation]] and [[Cavul|purification]] are evoked with this magic, although it is common to include [[Wyr]], [[Diras]] and possibly even [[Bravash]] to draw on elements of mystery, secret lore, and fertility.

The [[magic items|magic item]] known as the [[Mask of Gold and Lead]] can be used to make this ritual easier to perform.

[[Category:Night Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Can't give everything away

2025-07-20T08:05:20Z

Rosemary: /* Schyuler and Holberg */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Foreign Nations]]
<ic>"Signora Ambasciatrice." Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike inclined her head. The Asavean ambassador reciprocated with a nod of her own. It was probably a carefully calculated fraction less deferential than she had measured Annike's to be but honestly the Sarcophan didn't notice or care. Let the Asaveans have their little dominance games.

"Mevrouw ambassadeur." The Asavean was clearly pleased with herself; her smile was self-satisfied and she was practically vibrating with schadenfreude. She clearly felt she had the upper hand. Annike savoured the moment.

"We have heard that your attempt to create a 'Free Seas Pact' has sadly foundered." The Ambassador couldn't contain her glee. "It is always a mistake to put your trust in the Empire. They will always disappoint you. But do not worry. We will not hold against you things said in haste. They are already forgotten!"

"Oh I do hope not," said Annike. "I would hope that you have not forgotten that I reminded you exactly who you are dealing with, Madame."

Confusion. The Ambasciatrice frowned. This was not going the way she had expected when she accepted Annike's invitation. She had clearly been expecting an apology, and came here with every intention of twisting the knife before magnanimously accepting it and then using that apology to launch her own foray into renegotiating trade tariffs.

"I do not understand..." she said.

"That is indeed clear," said Annike. "But I did not call you here to talk about the Free Seas Pact which, as you say, was fatally holed below the waterline. In fact, I asked you to attend me so that I could formally deliver the decision of the Bedelaar Huisbaas to the Asavean Plenum. Please pay attention, I do not wish to repeat myself."

She was overplaying it, she knew. But Annike very much disliked the Asavean Ambassador and given how complicated the next several months were going to be she had decided to try and gain some pleasure where she could.

"How dare you!" The Ambassador stood.

"Sit down!" Barked Annike and, in spite of herself, the Ambassador did so. More from the force of the words than any intent to obey.

"The Free Seas Pact is over," she said calm again. "So now we have no choice but to establish the ''Pax Sarcophan''."

The Ambasciatrice stiffened, eyes widening. She clearly understood that the decision to use Old Asavean was not a coincidence.

"I've had a formal document created, but I wanted to tell you directly what is going to happen. We warned you. We warned your government, and you chose to ignore us. The Bedelaar Huisbaas will no longer tolerate any nation interfering with the flow of trade across the known world. You can have your ''wars''" She spit the word angrily, but reined herself back in again. "You can have your wars but any further attempt to blockade ports or support piracy against third-parties will result in a formal declaration of war. Furthermore, the Delves will use every tool at our disposal - and there are many at our disposal let me be candid - to ruin you. Those nations, I mean."

"We are Asavea! You do not speak to us like this!" spat the Asavean. Annike had to admire the Ambassador's refusal to accept what she was being told. "We were plying the Seven Seas when your ancestors were squatting by campfires and robbing tombs!"

"Indeed!" Annike interrupted her. "Centuries ago the Asaveans bestrode the known world like a colossus! But what have you achieved ''recently''?"

"We will-"

Annike slammed her fist on the table, unconsciously pulling her thin lips back slightly to reveal her fangs.

"You will listen to what I am saying! You will make your Plenum understand! We are ''not'' bluffing and we are ''not'' joking. We may not have been founded by demigods and ruled a third of the world, but please do not let our pleasant demeanour fool you. If you do not start taking us seriously, if you insist on underestimating us, if you remain on this destructive course you have charted, then we will show you what it means to be descended from tomb robbers who built an entire nation from ruins, and believe me when I tell you we will ''eat you alive''."

Annike collapsed back into her chair, breathing heavily. The two women stared at each other for a moment, the Asaveans high colour a stark contrast to the Sarcophan's ivory-white skin. The Ambasciatrice stood slowly, her face blank.

"May I go now, Signora?" Her voice was clipped, two bright red spots in her cheeks the only sign of just how furious and humiliated she was.

"Oh course, Madame. I shall have a copy of the formal document sent -"

But the Asavean was already gone, the door closing behind her. Annike let out a deep breath she had not realised she was holding, and stared into space for a long moment before adjusting her hair, straightening her desk, and preparing for her next appointment - the Imperial secretary to Ambassador Dino would certainly be as punctual as ever.</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Silhouette of a crow.JPG|caption=The Sarcophan Delves rarely resort to force, preferring to use economic pressure. But that doesn't mean they ''can't''' resort to force...|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==Overview==
Each season the Civil Service prepares a summary of the Empire's relationship with the foreign nations, based on communications received from their ambassador, along with any useful intelligence gathered from other sources. While the Senate and the other houses of Imperial power may respond to these offers, it is important to note that it is the appropriate [[ambassador]] that the foreign power will expect to hear from. Their communication with the foreign power is the primary element that will determine the tenor of any response.

The merchant-princes of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] - the ''bedelaar huisbaas'' - strive for neutrality. They are enthusiastic about trade with the Empire, but their neutrality is precious to them. They hold it a mark of pride that they will deal with anyone who has goods, services, or money. While they have given up the practice of slavery without regret, they refuse to pick a side between the [[Liberty Pact]] and the Freedom Accord. Their primary goal is to ensure the ports of the world remain open to their ships, ideally with [[Tariffs#Free_Trade|free trade]] agreements that allow their merchants to operate without onerous [[tariffs]].

The Sarcophan ambassador to the Empire is ''Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike'', of the Tower of Crows. She reports to the beggar-landlords of Sarcophan, and is known to be a wily and subtle diplomat. No stranger to the murkier waters of espionage and intelligence-gathering, she constantly seeks opportunities to expand the influence of the Sarcophan mercantile Empire across the Known World. She has no particular loyalty to any one faction; her main concern appears to be the prosperity of the nation as a whole.
{{Nation|nation=[[Sarcophan Delves]]|status=Foreigner|port=[[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]] and [[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Betovering|Betovering]]|ambassador= Dino i Riqueza of [[the Brass Coast]]}}
==An Ultimatum==
* '''They have issued ultimatums to the Empire and every other nation on the Seven Seas'''
* '''The Sarcophan Delves will declare war on any nation that attempts to embargo third-party trade'''
* '''Their ultimatum has brought an end to the Plenum bounty on ships visiting the Empire'''

The Sarcophan Delves approached the Imperial Ambassador about the [[Theory_of_the_crows#A_New_Pact|creation of the Free Seas Pact]] six months ago. The Imperial Ambassador, concerned about potential conflicts with the [[Liberty Pact]] was cautious and ultimately declined to become involved. The Sarcophan plan was to convince the Empire to join, and then use that to put pressure on the Commonwealth and Sumaah and eventually get everyone to agree to the pact. When the Empire equivocated, the plan fell apart; without their endorsement the other nations felt able to ignore the Delves.

In the absence of Imperial support, the Sarcophan Delves have abandoned the a communal approach and decided to act unilaterally. They have sent missives to every major nation - the Empire, [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]], [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]], the [[Commonwealth]] and the [[Sumaah Republic]] - and numerous small nations announcing the imposition of the ''Pax Sarcophan'' - a public commitment from the Delves that they will not tolerate piracy of merchant vessels of other nations, they will not permit ''any'' nation to threaten international trade.

They have issued the Empire - and every other nation with an ultimatum. Individual nations may do what they like to nations they are at war with - war is a harsh reality of the world and arguably good for business anyway. But the Delves will not permit anyone trying to prevent uninvolved nations from trading with those they are at war with. Any attempt to do so, by any nation, will cause the Delves to declare war on them. The Delves may not have the largest or most powerful navy in the world, but they will cut off all trade with the nation and hire marines, mercenaries and pirates to harry their shipping across the Seven Seas.

Specifically, any nation that attempts to blockade ports against neutral parties, or employ bounties or other influence to encourage pirates and privateers to attack neutral trading ships, will find their own vessels targeted by Sarcophan captains. The Delves will also place bounties of their own on that nation's shipping and unlike others, the Sarcophan have contacts with several groups who would be more than happy to take up such bounties on a professional scale. They would also bring their economic might to bear - while they prefer to remain neutral in trading matters they would cut off ''all'' trade - imports and exports - with the target nation and use every tool at their disposal to encourage other nations to do the same.

For the Delves to wield political power in this fashion is unprecedented, but it is clear that the Beggar's Banquet is furious about the damage being done to international trade by the Asavean bounty on Imperial ships, and the recent blockade of the Sumaah ports. They have no interest in interfering in war between nations, but they will not tolerate attempts to try and prevent nations that are not involved trading with ''either'' side of a conflict.

It's not yet clear how the other great powers intend to respond to this extraordinary ultimatum by the Delves, but the Asavean Plenum is furious, for obvious reasons. Yet it appears they have also been left with little choice but to reconsider their current strategy of trying to block anyone from trading with the Empire. It perhaps helps the Sarcophan cause that the sheer cost of maintaining the bounty on ships visiting the Empire has become increasingly untenable for many of the Plenum families. The Asaveans have a much stronger navy than the Delves, but the thought of being at war with the Empire, Sumaah and the Delves at the same time was too much even for them. It seems the Delves might have successfully called their bluff.

Not long after the Sarcophan announcement reaches the Empire, word begins to spread that the Asaveans have withdrawn their bounty on Imperial ships. It will take a little while for the news to reach everyone, of course, but it is expected that foreign trade will begin to return to former levels and price increases will eventually settle back down again.

The ultimatum delivered to the Empire is posted in the same strident terms that it is delivered to other ambassadors - but the Sarcophan are keen to point out that the Empire is a major beneficiary of this new arrangements. They are insisting everyone acknowledge the ''Pax Sarcophan'' as the new law of the Seven Seas - but they are clear that it is the Asaveans who have been forced to change their ways and that the Empire need only sit back and enjoy the benefits. The Empire has ended slavery they say, and everyone has benefitted. Now it is time for the Delves to end the scourge of piracy, so that they too may contribute to a Virtuous world.

How the Ambassador responds will be vital to determine what happens next. It's ''possible'' that the Delves are bluffing and that they won't really break off trade with the Empire if they refuse to accept the Pax Sarcophan. The Asaveans clearly thought they were serious enough not to risk that, but relations between Asavea and the Delves have been poor for some time. The ultimatum by the Delves is presented as a fait accompli - but the benefits they claim if offers seem real enough. Are those benefits worth accepting the authority of the Delves to impose their will on the Seven Seas in this way?

==Freed Trade==
* '''The costs to purchase from Sarcophan ministries should return to normal without the Asavean threats
* '''The Sarcophan Delves would prefer to retain the free-trade arrangement but are pragmatic about the situation
The bounty on ships reaching the Empire has been withdrawn, but it will take a little while for this news to reach the pirates and privateers currently attacking merchant ships. It will take a few months for the prices charged by Sarcophan [[ministry|ministries]] to return to normal, but it is anticipated that by the start of the Autumn Equinox the many markets the Delves service in the Empire will have returned to their pre-bounty position - assuming this new Pax Sarcophan holds. This includes the ministries overseen by the [[Kruidenkenner Trademaster]], [[High Herbalist of Sybella]], [[Master of the Root and Stem]], [[Master of the Clearing House]], [[Custodian of Ivarsgard Docks]], and [[Custodian of the Concordium Dock]], who all experienced an unfortunate one-fifth price increase due to Asavean interference.

At the moment the Delves are profiting from their relationship with the Empire. The profit margins might have narrowed a little, but they are still healthy. As the Imperial Ambassador points out, the Empire lets merchants from the Delves operate under a [[Tariffs#Free_Trade|free trade]] agreement, and the Beggar's Feast would be loathe to see that situation change. Ambassador Dino, however, has raised some questions about whether that situation will continue. The Beggars Banquet has discussed the matter at length, and while they would prefer to continue benefiting from the agreement they will understand if the Empire chooses to return them to a [[Tariffs#Mercantilist|mercantilist]] position. They'd rather not see that happen, obviously, but they are pragmatic about the chances it will.

It isn't a threat, but if the Senate chooses to move away from free trade, it will certainly impact Sarcophan enthusiasm for investing in the Empire. It won't stop it completely - but they are likely to focus their interests on the Alvetti estate in Sarvos, rather than look for ways to trade with the wider Empire, at least in the short term. And, as the Senate surely appreciates, the cost of tariffs is ultimately borne by the customer.
{{CaptionedImage|file=Apothecaries Guild.png|title=Imperial Apothecaries' Guild|align=right|width=200}}
==The Apothecaries Guild==
* '''The Kruidenkenner have asked the Guild Leader of the Apothecaries' Guild to get in touch
* '''One possibility they are interested in is potentially consolidating various markets into one larger market under the Guild's auspices
Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike mentions that representatives of the Kruidenkenner have been in contact regarding news of the newly established [[Apothecaries Guild]]. As they understand it, the new Guild has essentially assumed responsibility for trade in [[herbs]], [[potion|potions]], and the like? There is some interest here in establishing common ground. If the new [[Imperial Sodality]] has the same kind of status as the Kruidenkenner do, as the premier dealers in herbs and potions in the Delves, they may well be able to do business. One weakness of their current arrangements with the Empire is that their markets are scattered around and all need individual protection and such like. It might be possible to establish a more centralised market, working with the Apothecaries Guild. Or any number of other possibilities.

As such the Kruidenkenner have requested that Esmé [[Imperial_Apothecaries_Guild#Guild_Leader|speaker for the Guild]], consider sending a [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] to Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike detailing the scope and desires of the Guild, and whether they think there is a benefit in a closer relationship with the Kruidenkenner. They're particularly interested in whether the Guild would be prepared to cooperate on establishing a dedicated herbalist market in the Empire with the Sarcophan Delves.
<div style="float:left; width: 250px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Actuallythebest001.png|align=left|width=250}}</div>
==Schuyler and Holberg==
* '''There is still interest in a cooperative venture to establish a port in Holberg
* '''Another possibility has been raised in the form of a proposal to drain the depths of the Great Pits of Ennerlund
* '''Schuyler Koopman is currently visiting with the Kleists of Holberg waiting to see if an appraisal can be secured
During the Winter Solstice Schuyler Koopman, a representative of the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Lijkkever|Lijkkever]] families, [[Theory_of_the_crows#Kleistgast|visited Anvil]]. After the summit, they accepted an open invitation from [[Holberg]] to visit the city and became enthusiastic about the potential to [[Waiting_for_the_worms#Little_Beetles|establish a Sarcophan trading enclave]] in the northern Empire along the shores of [[the League]]. By all accounts there has been a similar level of enthusiasm in the city, and also among the Sand Fisher orcs of [[Holberg#Misericorde|Misericorde]]. Schyuler proposed an [[appraisal]] to explore the best way to establish a port-town, and the [[Imperial Senate|Senate]] initially [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Appraise_Port_in_Utterlund|proposed]] commissioning [[Appraisal#Naomi_of_Virtue's_Rest|Naomi of Virtue's Rest]] to explore the possibility, but later [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Abrogate_Appraisal_of_Utterlund_Port|changed their mind]] in favour of an [[387YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Appraise_Building_Lighthouses|exploration of lighthouses]] (which has since been [[For those in peril on the sea|delivered]]).

There is obviously some disappointment among the port-enthusiasts, but Koopman remains optimistic that there is still a possibility for a joint Sarcophan-Imperial effort in the northern Empire. Schuyler Koopman himself has accepted an offer of hospitality from '''Bernhard''' and '''Lula Kleist von Ennerlund''' and has received cautious approval from the House of the Lijkkever to stay in the Empire a little longer. It's likely the industrious house is keen to recoup some of the losses they have apparently incurred in [[Axos]] by [[Waiting_for_the_worms#A_Delicate_Private_Matter|liquidating their interests]] in the [[A_better_future#Issyk|docks at Issyk]]. There has apparently been some discussion of draining the [[Great Pits of Ennerlund]]; the Sarcophan have a great deal of experience working in marshy environments like the [[Holberg#The Morass|Morass]] that few in the known world can match and none surpass. Rather than the Lijkkever, there is interest among some of the [[Founders_of_the_Delves#The_Hyena|Hyena]] families. While the Hyena themselves are not especially composed of miners, they obviously have extensive contacts with Sarcophan engineers and diggers of all kinds. Schyuler is able to confirm that if the [[Imperial Senate]] are prepared to ask ''Naomi of Virtue's Rest'' to appraise the matter there will be Sarcophan experts prepared to put themselves at her disposal. Of course, ideally, Koopman would prefer that happened ''after'' the matter of the port in Holberg is resolved.

(There are, of course, other ways to get an appraisal than via the Senate. It's possible that any such method could be used, and if it can be directed to work with Sarcophan, it will probably be just as effective as the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticator's Office]] in finding an actionable way to approach either of these possibilities).

Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike is more philosophical about the matter - every great nation has uncountable numbers of things they need to deal with at any given time. Also, she received a well-written explanation and apology from a citizen of [[the Brass Coast]] that laid out the reasoning for the change - even had she minded to be irritated the letter would have settled her temper. While the Lijkkever and the Hyena are intrigued by possibilities in Holberg, the Ambassador need not worry about a risk of "offending" the Delves. Business is business. If the port, or the joint effort to drain the Great Pits of Ennerlund, go ahead that will strengthen Sarcophan interest in the Empire and bring healthy profits to those involved. If they don't... there'll be plenty of other opportunities in the future, most likely. The Delves as a whole has little particular investment one way or another in what happens in Holberg.

==The Coast is Open For Business==
{{CaptionedImage|file=Mistress of the Glass Parador.jpg|caption='''Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo''', Mistress of the Glass Parador|align=right|width=250}}
* '''An appraisal could be used to find ways to encourage the Sarcophan Delves to invest in the Brass Coast
* '''The Ambassador might propose something to Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike
* '''A plenipotentiary from the Autumn Archmage might secure eternal assistance to encourage investment
* '''There is nothing to stop private citizens writing to the Bedelaar Huisbaas on behalf of the Brass Coast
{{SOP|statement=The Kruidenkenner of the Sarcophan Delves are not Prospering in Sarvos. We are a nation undertaking a grand renewal! Let us welcome these fine alchemists and traders, that our shared Ambitions will uplift us all. Let it be known: the Coast is open for business.|by=Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo|vote=Greater Majority 156-0|when=Spring Eqinox 387YE|size=small}}
'''Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo''', the [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]], proposed a [[statement of principle]] during the Spring Equinox that proposed [[the Brass Coast]] would present a more amenable place to do business for the ''Kruidenkenner'' than [[Sarvos]]. "''Let it be known: the Coast is open for business.''" It's notable that ''Bedelaar Huisbaas Alama Vanderkleij'' who holds the Seat of the Hyena has [[Hyenas_and_herbs#Hyenas_Under_Sail|already expressed interest]] in the possibility of investing in the Coast. She is very interested in selling mithril and artisan metals to Freeborn markets... but not until the immediate threat of the Children of Wrecks is addressed. The Hyena are not especially concerned about the pirate ships - they have worked with the DeBruin before and see no problem doing so again. They are much more concerned about the [[Spring magic]] that raises storms and floods and is almost impossible to adequately prepare for.

Following Ignacio's statement, however, there has been a surge of interest in the possibilities of closer trade ties with the Delves. One of the advantages the Sarcophan enjoy in Sarvos is the establishment (and concedence) of the [[Sarvos#Sarcophan_Enclave|Alvetti estates]]; could the Brass Coast offer a similar opportunity to the Delves? There are plenty of Sarcophan houses, families, and guilds who are eager to access not only the Brass Coast wealth of metals from [[Kahraman]] but also luxury goods such as [[The_Brass_Coast_culture_and_customs#Syrah|syrah]], Freeborn glass and fine cloth, rich spices, and the like. The staff at the [[Redoubt#The_Embassies_of_Cargo|Sarcophan Embassy]] have made a brief assessment of the situation and offered some advice to the Freeborn assembly.

Dealing with the Children of Wrecks is unlikely to be something the Brass Coast could do on their own but there may be other opportunities. The Delves have made it clear they're happy to cooperate with [[appraisal|appraisals]] aimed at improving trade with the Empire. The Senate - or perhaps even [[Beat_of_your_drum#Die_Beurteilung|die Beurteilung]] - could find ways to allay the concerns of the Hyena, and encourage them to invest in the Coast even with the threat of the Children still ongoing.

Alternatively, the Imperial Ambassador might be able to present a proposal to the Delves that is appealing enough the merchants involved either put aside their concerns about the Children of Wrecks, or find the opportunity too good to miss and so invest in their own methods of ensuring the servants of Siakha are not a problem. The Imperial Civil Service think this would be something of a long shot however; it would need to be something truly appealing to the Sarcophan or one of the [[Founders of the Delves|Beggar Landlords]].

The [[Archmage of Autumn]] might be able to secure assistance from one of the great cities of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Labyrinth]]. [[Ephisis]] is an obvious possibility, as are [[Prospero]] and [[Callidus]]. The Civil Service posit that a suitably worded [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] might be easily as effective as an appraisal here; but it would need to be the only request made to ensure if the archmage wanted to ensure it was picked.

Finally, there is nothing to stop private citizens writing to Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike about possibilities such as this. While the Sarcophan ambassador is likely disinterested in investing herself, part of her role involves briefing the rest of the Beggar Landlords about opportunities to increase their wealth. The Civil Service have no idea how effective this might be, as it depends on too many random factors. But the fact the Freeborn assembly is behind the move might add additional weight. They also point out that there are other Sarcophan representatives in the Empire, several of whom are prepared to receive [[Call Winged Messenger|missives]] from Imperial citizens.

==Speaking of Trade...==
* '''Bedellar Huisbaas Annike has asked the Ambassador to perform basic "market research" on her behalf
* '''In return for ranking goods of interest to Imperial fleet captains the Ambassador will receive 5 Thrones
* '''The delves will use this information to adjust the goods offered in their ports
Currently there are two ports in the Delves available to Imperial merchant ships; [[Foreign_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]] itself and the luxurious port of [[Foreign_ports#Betovering|Betovering]]. The latter remains reasonably popular with Imperial fleets, but there has been a marked decline in the number of vessels visiting Sarcophan itself. The Delves have noticed shifts among the goods offered to captains visiting other ports around the known world, with a growing emphasis on local luxuries or practical substances. At the moment, Sarcophan itself mostly offers [[herbs]], [[beggar's lye]], and [[weltsilver]]. Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike has been tasked with asking the Imperial Ambassador for advice on the kinds of goods that might be appealing to Imperial traders.

In the past the Senate has been clear it does not favour the trade in recreational substances for the discerning customer - one reason Schedalhaven remains closed. Nor are they interested in Sarcophan apothecary such as might be acquired at the port of Moeraskriden. While these two kinds of trade goods are something the Sarcophan have in abundance, they are by no means ''all'' they can offer. Indeed, the Delves trade with people all over the known world. It's literally impossible for Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike to list everything the markets catering to Imperial fleet captains ''could'' provide.

As such she wishes to engage in some very basic assessments of the Empire's needs. Would the Ambassador be prepared to canvas the merchants of the Empire, and work out which of these broad categories of goods appeal to them?
* '''Luxury goods:''' primarily things that will sell well in the Empire (cash) or items designed for comfort or security
* '''Crafting materials:''' ingots and measures, things of interest to [[crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]]
* '''Bulk herbs:''' the five magical herbs, which the Delves have in abundance
* '''Medicines:''' potions and items for treating injury and disease or things useful to [[Surgical skills#Chirurgeon|chirurgeons]], [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] and [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]]
* '''Recreational goods:''' drugs, mostly
* '''Martial goods:''' potions and other consumables that empower warriors and battle-magicians; perhaps some magic weapons or armour
* '''Magical goods:''' substances of use to ritual magicians, perhaps some magic items
* '''Victuals:''' a catchall term for things people eat or drink that provide some kind of enhancement or ability in the right circumstances
If the Ambassador could send Bedelaar Huisbaas a list of these ten items in order from most appealing to least appealing, she is prepared to offer a small payment of 5 Thrones in recognition of the legwork involved. The list would be distributed to Sarcophan traders and serve as a basis for determining which kinds of goods and services to prioritise both for trade to fleet captains, and in opportunities appealing to the Empire, over the next few years. More detail in areas such as preferred herbs, or ideal materials, would be helpful.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NBWintermark.jpg|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==Hahnmark in Bloom==
* '''An unfamiliar flower has begun to grow among the vlinderbloem cultivated by Hahnmark farms.'''
* '''The Kraft Brothers hope this may provide further business opportunities for the territory.'''
* '''''Renaten van Zuredruiven'' is interested in gathering draaikolkbloem to experiment with. They will arrive at the Tree of Names at 1pm on the Sunday of the Summer Solstice.'''
* '''Anyone who gives Renaten a draaikolkbloem will receive a dose of viezesmaak brewed with it in their pack next event.
[[Farm|Farms]] across [[Hahnmark]] have spent the past few seasons giving over patches of their land to growing "vlinderbloem" for the [[Waiting_for_the_worms#Brothers_Kraft|Kraft brothers]] - self-styled entrepreneurs from the Sarcophan Delves who use the rare flower to make the narcotic ''vizesmaak''. The harvest has been good and business has been smooth, but this past season's pickers have begun to report something strange. Another plant appears to be growing alongside the vlinderbloem, one they have not seen before.

The flower is difficult to spot. It’s a very similar shade of pink to vlinderbloem, but its petals seem to spiral endlessly inwards. It's difficult to say when exactly it began to appear, because the first few reports of it were discounted as imperfect batches of vlinderbloem. The Kraft brothers have coined the name “draaikolkbloem” for the new flower, but seem just as clueless as Hahnmark’s farmers as to where it has come from and why it is growing amongst their commissioned plants. However, the brothers smell business and are keen for the farmers accidentally cultivating the flower to investigate whether it has any properties which would make it worth selling.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: left;"><box> '''OOC info:''' This is what a draaikolkbloem lammy looks like: ''This pink flower's petals seem to spiral endlessly inwards. Once the spiral has captured your attention, it is difficult to look away. There is no mechanical effect when applying this flower to a character.'' </box></div>
A Sarcophan vintner holidaying at the Alvetti Estate is also curious about investing early. ''Renaten van Zuredruiven'' suspects that draaikolkbloem is similar enough in form to vlinderbloem to be able to use it to brew viezesmaak. They see the strange shape of the flower as simply further evidence of the rich terroir of the Hahnmark earth, and believe it could be a great selling point for the Wintermark-grown narcotic. They have hot-footed it to [[Anvil]] and expect to arrive at the ''Tree of Names'' at one in the afternoon on Sunday, where they will be very happy to take draaikolkbloem off Imperial hands. They will use the blooms to brew a batch of viezesmaak and return a dose each to everyone who offers a flower, for them to sample for themselves next season. They hasten to add that this is not a long-term business deal - they will make a loss on their experiments over the coming season, but they suspect that the knowledge gained will prove more than worth the coin sacrificed in the long run.

As for how this strange flower has come to grow? There is no clear reason. Some point to the [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil|Penumbral Veil]] drawn across the territory these past seasons, and wonder if the [[Night magic]] has begun to leech into the very soil. Others say that it must be because Hahnmark soil is much richer in ores and minerals than the parts of the Sarcophan Delves usually given over to cultivation of vlinderbloem, and that the draaikolkbloem must need these extra nutrients to thrive. Still others point to the [[Stars_and_sigils#Strangeness_in_the_Northwest|strange behaviour of animals]] in some areas of Wintermark lately, and wonder if the appearance of these plants is simply the flora responding just as the fauna already has been.
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Highborn.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
==The Art of the Tomb==
* '''The Council of Benefactors have endorsed certain Sarcophan merchants buying Highborn funerary goods'''
* '''Every business and mine in Highguard receives an additional 18 rings a season until the start of the Spring Equinox 388YE'''
* '''Unfortunately this endorsement of a false faith has damaged the ability of the Highborn assembly to call out heresy and blasphemy for the same period'''
During the Spring Equinox ''Senna van Ijzer'', an art dealer associated with a small sect of the Sarcophan religion called ''De Verzamelaars van Beeltenissen '' but usually referred to as "the Collectors", [[Waiting_for_the_worms#Tombs_and_Tribulations|spoke with the Council of Benefactors]] of [[Highguard]]. The Collectors hold a belief esoteric even by Sarcophan religious standards, that valuable objects depicting a deceased person's face hold immense value for buying a place in the Houses of Silence. This visit followed on from a recent opportunity for Imperial priests to visit the estate of one of the Delves' most beloved celebrities - ''Elian Vloss'', who is apparently themselves a Collector. The upshot of all this attention, is that Imperial iconography and funerary monuments are now extremely fashionable among Collectors, and even growing in popularity with Sarcophan folk with less bizarre understanding of the Labyrinth.

Senna apparently signed an exclusive deal for Highguard white granite and stonemasonry, organising the transport of pieces for the long journey to the Delves. The deal will last until the start of the Spring Equinox 388YE, during which all Highborn [[business|businesses]] and [[mine|mines]] receive an extra 18 rings production per season. Van Ijzer apparently hopes that by the end of that year, the reputation of Highguard stonemasons will be known internationally (with a little help from the Delves), and a better deal may be brokered.

The deal was not without controversy however. ''Mischa van de Libel'' is a priest of the Way from Sarcophan, a [[dedication|dedicant]] of [[Prosperity]], and a serious critic of the Collectors. They believe the fascination with Highborn art, iconography of the Way, and their own faces captured in Imperial white granite, is entirely superficial. The Collectors have never shown interest in the Way itself, only the beauty of its imagery and its fashionable nature. Mischa warned that signing Senna's deal ran the risk of devaluing the Way, of making it all too easy for its followers to be denigrated as putting profit ahead of principle. It's unfortunate but as news of the agreement spreads this very much appears to be the case, especially in the Delves.

Questions are being asked of the Highborn Assembly. Letters from concerned pilgrims of the Way in Sarcophan, and from some worried citizens of Highguard have been sent to both the '''Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard''' the [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]] and '''Keziah''', the [[Bishop of the Navigators]]. It also seems that the [[Sumaah Republic|Sumaah]] ''Präster'' are wasting no time pointing out that in their opinion the Highborn have sacrificed their [[Pride]] for a few handfuls of coin.

If nothing changes, the brunt of the problem will be met by the Bishop of the Navigators. The prestige of the [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Cathedral_of_the_Navigators|cathedral]] will be significantly impacted. Both the [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Merchant_Ministry|merchant ministry]] and the [[Bishop_of_the_Navigators#Low Ministry|Low Ministry]] permanently lose their top level of production each season the deal with the Collectors continues (that is, following the Summer Solstice the ministry will lose the top level of each ministry and if the deal runs its course the Low Ministry will disappear entirely after the Winter Solstice, and the Merchant Ministry be reduced to a single level). The reputation of the Cathedral will likewise be impacted significantly the longer the deal goes on.

If the Highborn assembly wishes, they may choose to enact a [[mandate]] urging their people to stop trading with the Collectors.

{{Mandate|mandate=While the pursuit of prosperity is virtuous, the Collectors of Sarcophan have taken advantage of our Council of Benefactors. We send (named priest) to urge all those trading with the Collectors to cease doing so already.|assembly=Highborn National Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted - and it requires no liao - the named priest will be empowered to speak with many of those dealing with the Collectors and explain the problem. The trade will slow to a trickle and then stop. The benefit enjoyed by businesses and mines will be lost, and the damage to the Cathedral of the Navigators will likewise stop before it really gets started.

Unfortunately, this cannot be seen as anything other than a criticism of the Council of Benefactors by the Highborn Assembly. Confidence in the Council will recover eventually, but the amount of wains - of any kind - that the Council can apply will be halved following the event the statement is upheld, recovering by 2 wains a season thereafter until it is restored to full.

==Beneath the Bay==
* '''There has been some discussion of eternals related to the sea'''
* '''Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike is prepared to host a visitor from the Department of Historical Research'''
* '''This would require a normal commission of historical research but cost the Senate 10 Thrones'''
* '''It would only require one historical research but would take six months to complete'''
* '''The chosen researcher would not be available for other projects during that time'''

As part of the discussion of Holberg, Schyuler Koopman, and the Lijkkever, the Imperial Ambassador enquired about "a possible eternal under the Bay of Catazar". Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike is sceptical. Not about lighthouses - the Delves appreciate a good lighthouse as does anyone at peril on the sea. Rather, the idea that an eternal might be "under" the Bay of Catazar. Sarcophan magicians know well that eternals cannot enter the material world, existing as they do in their own [[realms]]. They may be connected to the realm of mortals through [[regio]] but the idea of an eternal physically in the world is impossible. Any theory that implies that is happening must therefore be wrong.

There was also a query from '''Allegra i Riqueza''' which clarifies the matter further. Apparently there is concern about an unknown [[eternal]] of the [[Realms#Winter|Winter]] emerging to threaten the Empire? Reference to ''kings of nothing and queens of the void'' means little to the Bedelaar Huisbaas herself, but has apparently sparked some recognition among some of the more peculiar members of magical society in the Delves.

There are plenty of Sarcophan magicians who have experience dealing with eternals with an interest in the sea - or more realistically in concepts and resonances expressed through the metaphor of water and the ocean. Propitiating ''[[Siakha|Maelstrom]]'' and trying to avoid her indiscriminate wrath (mostly, confesses the Sarcophan Ambassador, with limited success); trying to find ways to profit from the whimsical moods of the ''[[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]]''; hosting visitors from the City of Salt and Sail and things of that nature. Each of the six realms has their own "take" on what the sea means, but personally Bedelaar Huisbaas Annike finds most of them effectively useless - too esoteric, dangerous, or just flat out peculiar to be of value when compared to the kind of assistance that can be secured by the Sovereign-Lords of the [[Realms#Autumn|Iron Ocean]] (it's an interesting piece of trivia that some Sarcophan envision the Autumn Realm as a great ocean, with the cities built on islands, rather than the Iron Labyrinth favoured among Imperial magicians).

Almost grudgingly, though, Annike confirms that there was ''some'' recognition from some of the magicians she mentioned "a dangerous eternal of the Winter Realm tied to the sea" to. They refused to talk about it, however, and advised having nothing to do with it if at all possible. With the written equivalent of a sigh, then, the Sarcophan Ambassador proposes that in the event the Imperial Ambassador thinks any of this technical knowledge might be useful, she would be happy to host a visiting researcher from the Empire's [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]]. Doing so in the past has proved good for business after all. The researcher would need to spend time talking to magicians, and so she estimates an overall cost to the Empire of 10 Thrones. The research would take time - the [[Imperial Civil Service|civil service]] calculate it will need six months due to the distances involved. The assigned researcher would not be available until the work was complete, but would only count as a use of historical research for the summit where it was commissioned. There's no rush on this - the Sarcophan magicians are not going anywhere.

The Civil Service point out that the value of this research will be heavily dependent on its scope; if there is a particular eternal they are interested in it might be best to ask about that rather than a more general query about spirits of the sea. It's well known that [[Sarcophan_Delves#Magic|Sarcophan magicians]] have their own particular areas of interest just as Imperial nations do. There's also a risk that what works in the Delves for dealing with eternals will not automatically work for Imperial magicians. ''Caveat emptor'', as they say in Old Asavean.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black pearl and his shell.jpg|align=right|width=300}}</div>

==... And Finally==
* '''A Sarcophan coven called the ''Deep Water Spiritweavers'' want to acquire mysterious black pearls
* '''For a dozen of these peculiar treasures placed in an Ephisis' Box with an anchor image, they offer a magical mask
* '''The offer is good for the Summer Solstice only
* '''They caution against including more than a dozen black pearls in any Ephisis' Box
Several Sarcophan merchants visiting the Empire this season have become aware of a peculiar phenomenon in which [[The_last_leg#Pearls_Before_Swine|strange black pearls]] are being found by captains traversing the Bay of Catazar. Some of these Sarcophan have themselves come into possession of them. By coincidence, a Sarcophan magician visiting family at the Alvetti Estates was on board one of the ships who found one of these pearls and on reaching the docks immediately issued an offer to the fleet captains of the Empire. It appears that the magicians of the ''Deep Water Spiritweavers'' - a wealthy [[bands#coven|coven]] of Sarcophan dedicated to ship-based magics, will offer a ''Mask of the Seven Seas'' in return for 12 of these black pearls placed in an [[Ephisis' Scale|Ephisis Box]] along with a piece of parchment bearing a drawing of a ship's anchor. A ''Mask of the Seven Seas'' is a difficult to get hold of [[:Category:Foci|magical focus]] that apparently offers a small boost to the ability to perform any ritual that enchants a [[fleet]] - regardless of the "school of magic" (that is, the Realm) to which it belongs. The mask will be delivered by the start of the Autumn Equinox.

It is important, stresses the Deep Water Spiritweaver, that ''only'' twelve pearls be placed in a given box. More than that and the coven will be unable to take ownership of these minor trinkets, and thus will not deliver the mask. The magician refuses to go into detail but suggests that if more than twelve are placed in a single Ephisis box there is a serious risk that the pearls will simply be lost or worse.

('''OOC Note:''' Anyone who takes advantage of this offer will still need to meet with the heralds of Ephisis on Sunday morning, to confirm who will receive the mask. The ribbon will go into the characters' inventory. An ideal phys-rep for such a mask is a white or gold half-face mask with an anchor on the forehead, but with one of the eye sockets sealed, or covered in gauze. It apparently represents ''The Mariner'', a [[Dramaturgy|dramaturgic]] [[Dramaturgy#The Personae|persona]] used to perform magic that strengthens or supports, or that acquires practical information)
{{Sarcophan Links}}

Sun Chamber

2025-07-15T08:14:39Z

Rosemary: /* The Doors of the Chamber */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Sun Chamber.png|title=Sun Chamber|align=right|width=240}}
==Motto==
Tall trees require deep roots.

==The Manifesto==
The Sun Chamber is dedicated to the advancement, empowerment, and support of young citizens of the Empire, those who are full citizens but are only just beginning to make their mark on the world. The Chamber aims to help members win influence and wield power in the Empire. It holds the following to be true:

* Youth is an asset the Empire cannot afford to squander.
* Tradition lays out safe paths; fresh eyes find shortcuts
* A Virtuous Empire is one that empowers all its citizens to act.

The Sun Chamber therefore exists to:

* Help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire
* Empower members to overcome obstacles and advance their goals
* Encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways

==Symbol==
The Sun Chamber's symbol is a stylised sun with a crown.
==Membership==
Any Imperial citizen who is old enough to take their Test of Arms but has not yet turned nineteen can join the [[Imperial sodality|sodality]] using the [[Mark of Fellowship]] ritual. A member of the Chamber who turns nineteen during a summit remains a member until end of the summit. Even [[the Throne]] is not eligible to part of the sodality unless they are young enough to be a member.

As with any sodality, other citizens may only enter the sodality chamber while it is in session with the express permission of the members present. The sodality is unusual, because of its age limits; in the past, the sodality has often allowed people to enter if they were members in the last year and has sometimes allowed younger citizens who are not yet old enough to attend if they are eager to join the sodality and want to support its goals. As with all guests, they can attend only with the ongoing permission of members which can be withdrawn at any time.

==Counsel of the Sun Chamber==
The Counsel of the Sun Chamber is the single Imperial title elected by members of the sodality at the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice. Counsel is expected to be a mouthpiece for the sodality, with the responsibility to represent the Chambers's views to other parts of the Empire, to recruit new members, and to advance the sodality's goals and the members' interests.

Counsel serves for two seasons, or until the next Summer Solstice or Winter Solstice, whichever is sooner. They can be [[Revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] and by the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

The duration of appointment is unusual - but Empress Richilde was adamant on this issue when the title was first created. She stressed that whoever holds the position of Counsel should be using the title as a springboard to advance their political fortunes and gain a more powerful title.

====Appointment====
The Counsel of the Sun Chamber is selected by members of the sodality. Only a member of the sodality can present themselves for the title, and only a member of the sodality can vote in the election. The candidate who gains the most votes from the members of the sodality is elected to the title.

==Powers==
The Sun Chamber is the beneficiary of three bequests. Each event, they make vote to endow one or more of these bequests on a member of the sodality.

In addition to these powers, the Chamber has five powerful abilities, commonly referred to as the five points - one of these abilities is available each season.

If the title of Counsel of the Sun Chamber is vacant, then the sodality can take a vote to appoint a representative to the position.

==Endowment==
Over the years the Chamber has has been the beneficiary of some significant bequests, most often from former members who have gone on to wield great power and influence within the Empire. Keen to share their [[Prosperity]] with the sodality that supported them at the start of their life, these members have endowed the sodality with access to additional resources with the clear expectation that the sodality will use these resources to advance their goals.

Each season, the sodality can choose to endow each one of the bequests on a single citizen each. The three bequests must be voted on seperately, but each individual bequest can only be endowed in its entirety, they cannot be split up. A bequest rolls over each season that it is not endowed - the eligible member of the sodality receives everything accrued to date after a successful vote of endowment.

To endow a bequest on a member of the sodality requires a majority vote of members who are present when the sodality is [[Imperial_sodality#Sessions|in session]]. Any member of the sodality can call for such a vote during a session - if the vote is successful, then the attending civil servant will take the appropriate records of the event and provide the endowed resources.

===The Falling Star===
* '''Provides a bequest of three rings of ilium each season'''
According to legend, the Falling Star in [[Hercynia#Northpines|Northpines]] is the birthplace of ''Myfanway'', one of the [[Navarr history|earliest companions]] of the [[First Empress]]. There has been a small Navarr [[striding]] here for centuries, but it is the waterfall itself which most citizens find remarkable. The river Casta is neither large nor even particularly memorable, except where it falls over the edge of the Giants Bluff. Here the water plunges nearly two hundred feet over the edge of the promontory to cascade into Casta Lake below.

Over the centuries the waterfall has cut away the rock, receding ever further from the edge. As a result, it is possible for a bold spelunker to walk upstream tracing the course of its history as you pick your way carefully into the mountain. Seventy feet in, the passageway opens out into a small chamber where the water crashes down from the rock above. If one stands here at night, ove can see the stars directly overhead, glistening through the mist thrown off by the waterfall.

It is possible that it is the arresting vision that gives the waterfall its name, but it could equally be the presence of small amounts of [[ilium]] that can be dredged from the plunge pool. The resource is small enough that it never formed part of the Bourse auction, but still large enough to be valuable. It was bequeathed to the sodality during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]] following a past life vision involving Myfanway, the details of which are long lost.

===The Line and the Curve===
* '''Provides a bequest of twenty five mana crystals each season'''

The Line and the Curve are a prosperous coven of [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] based in the forest of [[Karov#Skoremujac|Skoremujac]] in [[Karov]]. The coven earn their wealth providing a mix of [[enchantment|enchantments]] and wardings for people who live in the handful of vales scattered across the forest, boosting supplies of [[ambergelt]] and [[dragonbone]]. The coven chose to bequeath the sodality with a supply of crystals from the mana sites that they maintain in the forest during the region of [[Empress Varkula]].

The official version of the story is that members of the sodality acted to save the coven from a deadly bargain that had been made with the [[Night Below]]. Rumours have periodically circulated that suggest that the deals made may have been more complicated than they first appeared, but nothing incriminating has ever been substantiated. The truth is likely long gone now - all that remains is the legacy bequeathed to the sodality.

===The Wyrd Stone===
* '''Provides a bequest of thirty crowns each season'''

The Wyrd Stone is a huge dark brown stone shaped like a wheel, complete with a hole where the axle might go. It is found on the trod that leads away from [[Astolat#Grovesyard|Brightway]] in [[Astolat]] towards [[Miaren]], but is never found in the same spot twice, despite the fact that the circular rock is far too heavy to be moved. The Wyrd Stone defies divination magic, it is apparently under a powerful night shroud and would be destroyed if the shroud were breached.

According to local legends the Wyrd Stone brings a glorious outcome for lovers who pledge their troth here, if they each take it in turns to place a coin in the hole in the centre of the wheel and whisper a secret to the stone about their lover. As a result, it is common for young nobles to come here before they undertake a [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Ardour|Test of Ardour]], in the hope that the Wyrd Stone will lead to triumph. There is a common belief that the the coins need to be a single throne for each noble while yeofolk must find a crown each.

The Finest Hour, a circle of troubadours based out of Brightway make a journey to collect the coins from the Wyrd Stone regularly to ensure that their presence doesn't attract bandits. During the reign of [[Emperor Nicovar]] the Senate passed a motion bequeathing the funds collected to the Sun Chamber, less the four thrones upkeep required to support the sodality, which are remitted directly to the Imperial treasury.

==The Doors of the Chamber==
The doors are five powerful abilities that the Sun Chamber has gained over the years since its inception. They reflect power that the Chamber has accrued over many years of operation with the help of various factions, including supportive groups within the Empire as well as eternals. The name is in reference to the doors of the Sun Chamber in the Castle of Thorns, used by Empress Richilde during her reign when hosting dignitaries. Each door leads to a different part of the keep and each bore a different name - the Teacher's Door, the Merchant's Door, the Weaver's Door, the Smith's Door and the Hunter's Door.

The Sun Chamber can only employ a single one of the five powers in this set each summit. If they employ one of the five points, then they cannot use any of the other points that season. In addition, once a power has been used, it cannot be used again that year.

All five points reset at each Summer Solstice - at that summit, the Chamber can use any one of these five powers. Any power that is employed at a summit cannot be used again until the next Summer Solstice.

===Future Wealth===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote for resource upgrades to cost one wain less in a territory'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on their links with the Church of the Little Mother to help members and former members find new ways to invest in the wealth of a single Imperial territory. Working together the sodality and the Church help to arrange apprenticeships and use their ingenuinty and drive to support the expansion of [[business|businesses]] and other resources in the area. In the following season, all [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resources]] in the territory cost one wain less to upgrade than normal. The option to benefit from this aid is only available in the season following the summit where the Chamber elects to employ this power; the cost of any new upgrades returns to normal after that. It is never possible to stack this benefit with an equivalent benefit from another source.

This ability relies on an assurance to the Church of the Little Mother that the Chamber will extract a fair price for their aid from those who benefit. They demand that the sodality make a [[senator]], or any citizen, who wants their territory to benefit in this way pay handsomely for the help. With the right organisation, the Chamber can help the occupants of a territory save a small fortune in wains of mithril, white granite and weirwood. The Church insists that the sodality ensure that their rewards reflect the benefits they are providing, otherwise they will withdraw their help.

===Past Lives===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote for a citizen to receive a dose of true liao'''
The Tall Oaks are a Navarr steading in Miaren many of whom were members of the Chamber years ago. The steading incorporates large gardens which are used to grow vinum to make liao and which occasionally produce true liao. When the sodality was created, members and former members of the chamber convinced Empress Richilde to grant the steading custody of one dose of true liao they produced each year, on the proviso that it would be granted to the sodality if they requested it.

As a whole the steading remains wholeheartedly committed to supporting the Chamber and remain committed to providing the sodality with a dose of true liao on request. Once each year, the Chamber can request a single dose of [[true liao]] from the Tall Oaks. The Chamber can name any single member of the sodality to receive this dose - but they cannot constrain what that citizen chooses to use the liao for.

In the past the Chamber have often opted to sell the dose of true liao to a wealthy supplicant, to raise significant funds to support their other activities. Where it has been used to access a past life, there is a long standing tradition, that the sodality won't choose the same member twice to receive this rare benefit.

===Current Problems===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to appraise a problem they are contending with'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on members and former members to look into a specific problem with a view to identifying potential solutions for the Empire to consider. One of the founding tenets of the sodality is the belief that fresh eyes can find new solutions to old problems. Rather than prize experience and tried and tested solutions, the sodality exists to encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways. The goal is to look at a problem in new ways, to see if a different approach will yield results.

Usually, members of the Chamber will work with members of the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticators Office]] who can compile the information and check it carefully so that it can be presented as if it were a regular [[appraisal]]. [[Appraisal#Graciana_i_Lòpez_i_Guerra|Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra]], one of the foremost appraisers in current times is known to be an admirer of the sodality and her and her team are always willing to help where they can. Members of the sodality still have to do all the hard work, but cooperating with the prognosticators office allows them to check all findings carefully and then present them through official channels.

More rarely, members of the Chamber will present a summary of their findings to the [[#Counsel of the Sun Chamber|Counsel of the Sun Chamber]], to allow them to discuss the matter with members of the sodality at Anvil who can then decide what action to take.

Whatever form the research takes, it does not count against the limited number of appraisals the Imperial Senate can employ, nor require the use of any the specific prognosticator teams currently employed by the office. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with a verbatim copy of the question they want members to look into, after voting to approve it.

===Eternal Allies===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to send a formal request for aid to an eternal'''
While Barien offers their patronage officially, it is an open secret that many [[eternal|eternals]] have a particular interest in the youth of the Empire (seen recently in the [[A_horn_resounding#Watchful_Eyes|boons offered]] to the so-called [[A horn resounding|Summer Children]] by inhabitants of all the realms). Perhaps as a consequence once each year, the Chamber can send a short message to an [[eternal]] seeking aid or a boon for the Chamber. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with a verbatim copy of their request and the name of the eternal whose aid they seek, after voting to approve it. The civil service who support the sodality will then arrange for the message to be conveyed to a creature known as ''Inkowl'' - a feathered, portly, avian servant of Barien who lives in the woods near the [[Semmerholm#Semmerstones|Semmerstones]]. Inkowl is empowered by his master as the Lord of the Crossroads to ensure the missive gets to the eternal it is intended for either directly, or through contacts with other heralds or mortal agents.

Regardless of how it is done, the message is ''guaranteed'' to reach the chosen eternal, but they are free to respond as they choose. Often, they will arrange a meeting with members of the sodality - as if it were a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] arranged by an [[archmage]]. Care must be taken however; this is not a true plenipotentiary and the eternal is not restricted by the rules of a [[Archmage#Parley|formal parley]]. A request for aid from the Chamber also does not carry the same weight as that of an [[archmage]] - the latter is usually treated as the designated authority in the Empire by most eternals - a position the Chamber do not have.

Also unlike a plenipotentiary missive, there is no specific word limit on the message that can be conveyed. However, the agreement with Barien is that the Chamber will get help with a ''single'' specific piece of aid or assistance with a ''single'' problem. The sodality can ask for as many things as they like, but whichever eternal they request help from will only ''ever'' provide help with one thing. It is a good idea to ask for a few different things - to ensure that the eternal is powerful enough to provide the help requested, but the more things they ask for, the less control the sodality has over what assistance they are likely to receive.

There is also an overwhelming expectation that the request directly benefit either the sodality itself or its members. The ''Iron Duke'' always knows what the message says; the eternal is known to be a keen supporter of the Chamber's manifesto and has been known to take a dim view of requests that seem to offer nothing to the Chamber itself. Wiley Counsel's have often ensure that their missive includes a short explanation of how the Chamber stands to gain from the aid to avoid incurring the wrath of the ''Master of Challenges''.

Most eternals will refuse to extend an invitation to meet in response to a message that simply asks to talk without saying what it is about, though they may respond in other ways. As always, by far the best way to ensure that an eternal will respond positively to a request is to be clear and explicit about what is desired. The more specific and detailed the Chamber can be, the better. Such aid is rarely free, though eternals whose goals are aligned with those of the sodality will be more amenable to helping them than others, but the more powerful the aid requested, the higher the price.

The sodality can contact anyone, but a number of eternals have demonstrated a willingness to help the sodality in the past. [[Wise Rangara]] is known to take a close interest in the sodality and its members, though the eternal's aid has often come at a terrible price. One of the names of [[Irra Harah]] is the ''Guard of the Young'', so it is perhaps no surprise that the Spring eternal is usually ready to support members of the sodality. [[Callidus]], the ''Prince of the Argent Tontine'' has previously demonstrated a willingness to lend the sodality significant sums of money on request, though that friendship would likely turn very sour if the sodality failed to meet the terms of such a loan.

There is widely believed to be a fifth eternal who is a close ally of the sodality, potentially even a patron, but it is not clear who that might be. There are claims that the Chamber used to enjoy a close relationship with the [[Whisper Gallery]], but that has never been publicly confirmed. Members of the order often seemed to enjoy a good relationship with both [[Zakalwe]] and [[Roshanwe]] but both eternals deny having extended any favour to the sodality. [[Sadogua]] and [[Meraud]] certainly have an interest in young magicians, but their attention is very focused on those with an interest in the arcane arts and in both cases their support of the Sun Chamber waxed and waned. Likewise, [[Azoth]] certainly seems to be intrigued by the Academy but that eternal is known for mercurial flights of fancy and is unlikely to ever be tied down to anything as mundane as "patronage". Whoever this fifth eternal is, they are playing their cards close to their chest.

===Hidden Possibilities===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to ask members to scout a specific territory'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on members and former members to go to a [[territory]] with explicit instructions to try and find out what they can about what is happening there. The chosen territory can be an Imperial territory, or any territory which is adjacent to a territory under Imperial control. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with the name of the territory they want to scout out, along with a short summary of what to look for if desired.

The reconnaissance won't usually produce detailed information the way a [[spy network]] might, nor can the sodality create a map of a territory. But they can look for opportunities in the area that might benefit the Empire. If the chosen territory is one where Imperial armies are on campaign, or is one controlled by barbarians, then members will seek any [[opportunity]] to advance the Imperial war effort there. This will result in one or more [[opportunity|opportunities]] to use the [[Sentinel Gate]] to strike at the enemy, either attacking them directly, or else recovering valuable information.

These operations rely on help from the eternal [[Barien]]. As a patron of the sodality, the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' has committed to providing members of the sodality with the assistance they need to move past enemy lines. The price of this aid, is that the Chamber commits to sending only members of the sodality on any conjunction that is identified. Such expeditions are challenging and dangerous - members of the Chamber have been killed on more than one occasion attempting some dangerous quest through the gate. But the potential benefits can be significant if the sodality triumphs, providing invaluable aid that can assist with an ongoing campaign, or damage the enemy's infrastructure.

In the past, the sodality have occasionally employed Barien's aid to spy on an active danger inside the Empire's borders. The resulting efforts are equally dangerous, but can yield valuable opportunities to deal with an internal threat or gather vital intelligence about it. To succeed in this way, it is crucial for the sodality to be explicit about the threat they want members to pursue, otherwise they risk their orders being misinterpreted.

==History==
The Sun Chamber was founded during the reign of [[Empress Richilde]]. As a [[Dawn|Dawnish noble]], Richilde was concerned that citizens who had passed their [[Test of Citizenship]] and [[Test of Arms]] should have opportunities to pass their [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Mettle|Test of Mettle]] so that they might join a [[Noble_house|noble house]].

The early Empire had become much more formalised during the reign of [[Emperor Giovanni]], and where previously titles had been appointed on merit, Richilde felt they were increasingly being offered only to those who had served long apprenticeships. The Empress disdained the idea that someone must spend years serving as the [[proxy]] for a [[senator]] or an [[General#Appoint_an_Adjutant|adjutant]] for a [[general]] before they might aspire to high office, and rarely failed to point out that many who now occupied those titles had not had to endure such trials. She spoke regularly on the lack of [[Pride]] she perceived in such sentiments and argued that it was little more than a crude attempt to hold onto power by an older generation.

[[The Throne]] worked with a number of aspiring heroes of the age to create the ''Sun Chamber'', and bequeathed it with a clear goal to empower its members and help them gain high office and to wield power within the Empire. The Chamber benefitted from the Richilde's patronage and deliberately chose the name to emphasize their closeness to the Throne. There were accusations that the Throne also benefitted from the relationship, with the sodality providing the Empress with gossip and information about goings on in [[Anvil]].

The power of the Chamber grew slowly but steadily, in the decades that followed, working to secure the patronage of a number of groups as well as the support of several [[eternal|eternals]]. Unfortunately the sodality collapsed during the reign of [[Empress Britta]]. The [[Wintermark]] [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|banner-bearer]] had been a member of the sodality as a youth and the charismatic Throne remained very popular with the current members of the Chamber. As a result, every member of the Chamber who could, fought alongside the Empress in [[Empress_Britta#Death_and_Legacy|the fateful battle in Skarsind]] where Britta met her death. One by one, they died fighting by her side.

Following the recent work to restore the [[Rules_update_2025#Imperial_Sodalities|power and status of sodalities]], '''Zoria of the Zulgan Tash''' pushed the civil service to look into the status of the Sun Chamber. Having identified that the sodality's powers were never [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogated]], the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]] have confirmed that the Chamber is still a viable legal body with a number of important powers that it can now utilise.

==Patronage==
The Sun Chamber currently enjoys the patronage of the eternal [[Barien]] and three notable groups of Imperial citizens.

The ''Lord of the Crossroads'' is a stalwart ally of the sodality, and often lends aid with challenges and expeditions. His patronage supports the Chamber's ability to contact eternals and to scout territories in the Empire - ''the Traveller'' sends heralds to provide assistance and support. This aid does not make the efforts any easier or any safer, but it does help to identify any conjunctions that the sodality can use to gain a material benefit for the Empire. The assurance for this aid is that the sodality ensure that only members of the sodality make use of the conjunction - as ''Master of Challenges'' Barien is keen to ensure that members of the sodality risk their own lives to test their mettle.
{{WingedMessenger|address=Once each year during their term, the Counsel of the Sun Chamber is expected to arrange a [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] detailing rumours and gossip the members have uncovered to ''Geoffre of House Murtell at Brightway in Astolat''}}
The ''Finest Hour'' are a group of [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[troubadours]] who live in [[Astolat#Grovesyard|Brightway]] in [[Astolat]]. They help to maintain the [[#The Wyrd Stone|Wyrd Stone]] as well as producing complex genealogies of relationships between Dawnish nobles. Those who approve of their efforts point to the scholasticism with which they meticulously record the epic moments of people's lives; critics deride their work as little more than tittle-tattle and gossip. As assurance for their support, once a year, the Counsel of the Sun Chamber or their proxy is expected to provide the group with a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] sent to ''Geoffre of House Murtell at Brightway in Astolat'', detailing interesting rumours and gossip the sodality have discovered.

The ''Tall Oaks'' are a [[Navarr]] [[Steading]] based in [[Miaren#Oakways|Oakways]] in [[Miaren]]. The Steading was founded by a group of young Navarr who attended Anvil together long ago during the region of [[Empress Richilde]]. According to their history, the Tall Oaks were founding members of the Sun Chamber and while it is rare for any of their descendants to attend Anvil today, the Steading remains passionately committed to supporting the sodality. The Tall Oaks maintain large gardens where they grow vinum plants to produce [[liao]] for the civil service, including a surprising amount of [[liao#True Liao|true liao]]. Most of this precious commodity is provided to the Empire, but the Steading keeps just enough to provide the sodality with a single dose each year if requested. In return, they ask only that the sodality does what it can to support the growth of civilisation in the Empire through investment, both in people and projects that advance Imperial ambitions.

The Church of [[the Little Mother]] used to enjoy a close relationship with the Chamber, with complementary goals. While priests of the Little Mother invest in the future to help children better themselves, the sodality aims to empower young citizens in the hope that they can better themselves. A close relationship with the Church is essential to the sodality to allow them to help invest in the [[#Sun_Chamber#Future_Wealth|Prosperity]] of a territory. In return for their aid, the Church demands an assurance that the Chamber will ensure that they are well recompensed for their efforts by representatives of the territory they have helped.


==Game Design==
We've created the Sun Chamber sodality because we want to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. We have always tried to provide a range of options to actively engage younger players and we've had some fantastic feedback on the successes of that, but once players past their Test of Citizenship and either take their Test of Arms or choose not to, that framework falls away.

The hope was always that players in would be able to engage with the political game of Empire, getting involved in Conclave, the Synod and the other parts of the game as they try for Imperial titles. In practice, that assumption was hopelessly naive. While the setting asserts that anyone who has passed their Test of Citizenship has all the rights and responsibilities of an Imperial citizen, in practice, that doesn't always happen. A player who looks young will often have to deal with ageism, with people unconsciously assuming that they're not old enough or not mature enough or not experienced enough simply because of their apparent age.

We want our game design to support our conduct rules and push back where practical on out-of-character prejudicial assumptions. For example, we will not tolerate someone saying that another player or character shouldn't be in the military council because of their gender or whether or not they take the battlefield. We've had some conversations with younger players about their experiences playing the game. Drawing on their feedback, we've created a powerful sodality with some significant in-character abilities to help address the barriers faced by players in this age group.

Our goal is three-fold; first of all, we want to create a degree of equity for players who are under twenty. We want to directly bolster their political power to make the PvP game accessible on a more equal footing with other players. The sodality is aimed at players aged fourteen to eighteen, but includes the potential for players a little older and a little younger to interact with it.

Secondly, we want to create a forum where players in our target group can engage in politics with each other - the sodality is deliberately set up in such a way as to make its inherent operation political. Deciding how and when to deploy its powers will require the same kind of politics and compromise that underpins the rest of the game. Our goal is to give members of the sodality difficult decisions to wrestle with - exactly the same as other players - but in an environment where almost nobody but them has any hard power to determine what happens.

Finally, we wanted to create reasons that other players might want to interact with the sodality. We hope that senators, grandmasters, cardinals and characters without titles will want to approach the sodality and seek their help and support, just as they might with other political bodies in the game. Likewise, members of the sodality will have to approach these titles to advance their own goals. We really want to avoid interactions where people either give them everything they want because they're perceived as children, or else write them off and ignore them for the same reason. Instead, we hope that players will treat them as significant characters who have powers they can wield that can be employed to their advantage if they can persuade enough of them to go for it - that is to treat them as peers in the player-vs-player and player-with-player political game of Empire.

We'll watch the development of the sodality carefully - and listen to all feedback as always, but we hope that the Sun Chamber will serve to make the political game of Empire more accessible to more players.

==Further Reading==
* [[Imperial sodality]]
* [[The Academy]]

* [[An old sodality]] - 387YE Summer wind of fortune re-introducing the sodality
[[Category:Imperial Sodality]]
[[Category:Title]]

Sun Chamber

2025-07-15T08:11:21Z

Rosemary: /* Counsel of the Sun Chamber */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Sun Chamber.png|title=Sun Chamber|align=right|width=240}}
==Motto==
Tall trees require deep roots.

==The Manifesto==
The Sun Chamber is dedicated to the advancement, empowerment, and support of young citizens of the Empire, those who are full citizens but are only just beginning to make their mark on the world. The Chamber aims to help members win influence and wield power in the Empire. It holds the following to be true:

* Youth is an asset the Empire cannot afford to squander.
* Tradition lays out safe paths; fresh eyes find shortcuts
* A Virtuous Empire is one that empowers all its citizens to act.

The Sun Chamber therefore exists to:

* Help members gain positions of power and influence in the Empire
* Empower members to overcome obstacles and advance their goals
* Encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways

==Symbol==
The Sun Chamber's symbol is a stylised sun with a crown.
==Membership==
Any Imperial citizen who is old enough to take their Test of Arms but has not yet turned nineteen can join the [[Imperial sodality|sodality]] using the [[Mark of Fellowship]] ritual. A member of the Chamber who turns nineteen during a summit remains a member until end of the summit. Even [[the Throne]] is not eligible to part of the sodality unless they are young enough to be a member.

As with any sodality, other citizens may only enter the sodality chamber while it is in session with the express permission of the members present. The sodality is unusual, because of its age limits; in the past, the sodality has often allowed people to enter if they were members in the last year and has sometimes allowed younger citizens who are not yet old enough to attend if they are eager to join the sodality and want to support its goals. As with all guests, they can attend only with the ongoing permission of members which can be withdrawn at any time.

==Counsel of the Sun Chamber==
The Counsel of the Sun Chamber is the single Imperial title elected by members of the sodality at the Summer Solstice and Winter Solstice. Counsel is expected to be a mouthpiece for the sodality, with the responsibility to represent the Chambers's views to other parts of the Empire, to recruit new members, and to advance the sodality's goals and the members' interests.

Counsel serves for two seasons, or until the next Summer Solstice or Winter Solstice, whichever is sooner. They can be [[Revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] and by the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

The duration of appointment is unusual - but Empress Richilde was adamant on this issue when the title was first created. She stressed that whoever holds the position of Counsel should be using the title as a springboard to advance their political fortunes and gain a more powerful title.

====Appointment====
The Counsel of the Sun Chamber is selected by members of the sodality. Only a member of the sodality can present themselves for the title, and only a member of the sodality can vote in the election. The candidate who gains the most votes from the members of the sodality is elected to the title.

==Powers==
The Sun Chamber is the beneficiary of three bequests. Each event, they make vote to endow one or more of these bequests on a member of the sodality.

In addition to these powers, the Chamber has five powerful abilities, commonly referred to as the five points - one of these abilities is available each season.

If the title of Counsel of the Sun Chamber is vacant, then the sodality can take a vote to appoint a representative to the position.

==Endowment==
Over the years the Chamber has has been the beneficiary of some significant bequests, most often from former members who have gone on to wield great power and influence within the Empire. Keen to share their [[Prosperity]] with the sodality that supported them at the start of their life, these members have endowed the sodality with access to additional resources with the clear expectation that the sodality will use these resources to advance their goals.

Each season, the sodality can choose to endow each one of the bequests on a single citizen each. The three bequests must be voted on seperately, but each individual bequest can only be endowed in its entirety, they cannot be split up. A bequest rolls over each season that it is not endowed - the eligible member of the sodality receives everything accrued to date after a successful vote of endowment.

To endow a bequest on a member of the sodality requires a majority vote of members who are present when the sodality is [[Imperial_sodality#Sessions|in session]]. Any member of the sodality can call for such a vote during a session - if the vote is successful, then the attending civil servant will take the appropriate records of the event and provide the endowed resources.

===The Falling Star===
* '''Provides a bequest of three rings of ilium each season'''
According to legend, the Falling Star in [[Hercynia#Northpines|Northpines]] is the birthplace of ''Myfanway'', one of the [[Navarr history|earliest companions]] of the [[First Empress]]. There has been a small Navarr [[striding]] here for centuries, but it is the waterfall itself which most citizens find remarkable. The river Casta is neither large nor even particularly memorable, except where it falls over the edge of the Giants Bluff. Here the water plunges nearly two hundred feet over the edge of the promontory to cascade into Casta Lake below.

Over the centuries the waterfall has cut away the rock, receding ever further from the edge. As a result, it is possible for a bold spelunker to walk upstream tracing the course of its history as you pick your way carefully into the mountain. Seventy feet in, the passageway opens out into a small chamber where the water crashes down from the rock above. If one stands here at night, ove can see the stars directly overhead, glistening through the mist thrown off by the waterfall.

It is possible that it is the arresting vision that gives the waterfall its name, but it could equally be the presence of small amounts of [[ilium]] that can be dredged from the plunge pool. The resource is small enough that it never formed part of the Bourse auction, but still large enough to be valuable. It was bequeathed to the sodality during the reign of [[Empress Teleri]] following a past life vision involving Myfanway, the details of which are long lost.

===The Line and the Curve===
* '''Provides a bequest of twenty five mana crystals each season'''

The Line and the Curve are a prosperous coven of [[Varushka_magical_traditions#Cabalists|cabalists]] based in the forest of [[Karov#Skoremujac|Skoremujac]] in [[Karov]]. The coven earn their wealth providing a mix of [[enchantment|enchantments]] and wardings for people who live in the handful of vales scattered across the forest, boosting supplies of [[ambergelt]] and [[dragonbone]]. The coven chose to bequeath the sodality with a supply of crystals from the mana sites that they maintain in the forest during the region of [[Empress Varkula]].

The official version of the story is that members of the sodality acted to save the coven from a deadly bargain that had been made with the [[Night Below]]. Rumours have periodically circulated that suggest that the deals made may have been more complicated than they first appeared, but nothing incriminating has ever been substantiated. The truth is likely long gone now - all that remains is the legacy bequeathed to the sodality.

===The Wyrd Stone===
* '''Provides a bequest of thirty crowns each season'''

The Wyrd Stone is a huge dark brown stone shaped like a wheel, complete with a hole where the axle might go. It is found on the trod that leads away from [[Astolat#Grovesyard|Brightway]] in [[Astolat]] towards [[Miaren]], but is never found in the same spot twice, despite the fact that the circular rock is far too heavy to be moved. The Wyrd Stone defies divination magic, it is apparently under a powerful night shroud and would be destroyed if the shroud were breached.

According to local legends the Wyrd Stone brings a glorious outcome for lovers who pledge their troth here, if they each take it in turns to place a coin in the hole in the centre of the wheel and whisper a secret to the stone about their lover. As a result, it is common for young nobles to come here before they undertake a [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Ardour|Test of Ardour]], in the hope that the Wyrd Stone will lead to triumph. There is a common belief that the the coins need to be a single throne for each noble while yeofolk must find a crown each.

The Finest Hour, a circle of troubadours based out of Brightway make a journey to collect the coins from the Wyrd Stone regularly to ensure that their presence doesn't attract bandits. During the reign of [[Emperor Nicovar]] the Senate passed a motion bequeathing the funds collected to the Sun Chamber, less the four thrones upkeep required to support the sodality, which are remitted directly to the Imperial treasury.

==The Doors of the Chamber==
The doors are five powerful abilities that the Sun Chamber has gained over the years since its inception. They reflect power that the Chamber has accrued over many years of operation with the help of various factions, including supportive groups within the Empire as well as eternals. The name is in reference to the doors of the Sun Chamber in the Castle of Thorns, used by Empress Richilde during her reign when hosting dignitaries. Each door leads to a different part of the keep and each bore a different name - the Teachers Door, the Merchant Door, the Weavers Door, the Smiths Door and the Hunters Door.

The Sun Chamber can only employ a single one of the five powers in this set each summit. If they employ one of the five points, then they cannot use any of the other points that season. In addition, once a power has been used, it cannot be used again that year.

All five points reset at each Summer Solstice - at that summit, the Chamber can use any one of these five powers. Any power that is employed at a summit cannot be used again until the next Summer Solstice.

===Future Wealth===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote for resource upgrades to cost one wain less in a territory'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on their links with the Church of the Little Mother to help members and former members find new ways to invest in the wealth of a single Imperial territory. Working together the sodality and the Church help to arrange apprenticeships and use their ingenuinty and drive to support the expansion of [[business|businesses]] and other resources in the area. In the following season, all [[Resource#Personal_Resource|personal resources]] in the territory cost one wain less to upgrade than normal. The option to benefit from this aid is only available in the season following the summit where the Chamber elects to employ this power; the cost of any new upgrades returns to normal after that. It is never possible to stack this benefit with an equivalent benefit from another source.

This ability relies on an assurance to the Church of the Little Mother that the Chamber will extract a fair price for their aid from those who benefit. They demand that the sodality make a [[senator]], or any citizen, who wants their territory to benefit in this way pay handsomly for the help. With the right organisation, the Chamber can help the occupants of a territory save a small fortune in wains of mithril, white granite and weirwood. The Church insists that the sodality ensure that their rewards reflect the benefits they are providing, otherwise they will withdraw their help.

===Past Lives===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote for a citizen to receive a dose of true liao'''
The Tall Oaks are a Navarr steading in Miaren many of whom were members of the Chamber years ago. The steading incorporates large gardens which are used to grow vinum to make liao and which occasionally produce true liao. When the sodality was created, members and former members of the chamber convinced Empress Richilde to grant the steading custody of one dose of true liao they produced each year, on the proviso that it would be granted to the sodality if they requested it.

As a whole the steading remains wholeheartedly committed to supporting the Chamber and remain committed to providing the sodality with a dose of true liao on request. Once each year, the Chamber can request a single dose of [[true liao]] from the Tall Oaks. The Chamber can name any single member of the sodality to receive this dose - but they cannot constrain what that citizen chooses to use the liao for.

In the past the Chamber have often opted to sell the dose of true liao to a wealthy supplicant, to raise significant funds to support their other activities. Where it has been used to access a past life, there is a long standing tradition, that the sodality won't choose the same member twice to receive this rare benefit.

===Current Problems===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to appraise a problem they are contending with'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on members and former members to look into a specific problem with a view to identifying potential solutions for the Empire to consider. One of the founding tenets of the sodality is the belief that fresh eyes can find new solutions to old problems. Rather than prize experience and tried and tested solutions, the sodality exists to encourage members to approach existing problems in new ways. The goal is to look at a problem in new ways, to see if a different approach will yield results.

Usually, members of the Chamber will work with members of the [[Appraisal#The_Prognosticators_Office|Prognosticators Office]] who can compile the information and check it carefully so that it can be presented as if it were a regular [[appraisal]]. [[Appraisal#Graciana_i_Lòpez_i_Guerra|Graciana i Lòpez i Guerra]], one of the foremost appraisers in current times is known to be an admirer of the sodality and her and her team are always willing to help where they can. Members of the sodality still have to do all the hard work, but cooperating with the prognosticators office allows them to check all findings carefully and then present them through official channels.

More rarely, members of the Chamber will present a summary of their findings to the [[#Counsel of the Sun Chamber|Counsel of the Sun Chamber]], to allow them to discuss the matter with members of the sodality at Anvil who can then decide what action to take.

Whatever form the research takes, it does not count against the limited number of appraisals the Imperial Senate can employ, nor require the use of any the specific prognosticator teams currently employed by the office. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with a verbatim copy of the question they want members to look into, after voting to approve it.

===Eternal Allies===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to send a formal request for aid to an eternal'''
While Barien offers their patronage officially, it is an open secret that many [[eternal|eternals]] have a particular interest in the youth of the Empire (seen recently in the [[A_horn_resounding#Watchful_Eyes|boons offered]] to the so-called [[A horn resounding|Summer Children]] by inhabitants of all the realms). Perhaps as a consequence once each year, the Chamber can send a short message to an [[eternal]] seeking aid or a boon for the Chamber. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with a verbatim copy of their request and the name of the eternal whose aid they seek, after voting to approve it. The civil service who support the sodality will then arrange for the message to be conveyed to a creature known as ''Inkowl'' - a feathered, portly, avian servant of Barien who lives in the woods near the [[Semmerholm#Semmerstones|Semmerstones]]. Inkowl is empowered by his master as the Lord of the Crossroads to ensure the missive gets to the eternal it is intended for either directly, or through contacts with other heralds or mortal agents.

Regardless of how it is done, the message is ''guaranteed'' to reach the chosen eternal, but they are free to respond as they choose. Often, they will arrange a meeting with members of the sodality - as if it were a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] arranged by an [[archmage]]. Care must be taken however; this is not a true plenipotentiary and the eternal is not restricted by the rules of a [[Archmage#Parley|formal parley]]. A request for aid from the Chamber also does not carry the same weight as that of an [[archmage]] - the latter is usually treated as the designated authority in the Empire by most eternals - a position the Chamber do not have.

Also unlike a plenipotentiary missive, there is no specific word limit on the message that can be conveyed. However, the agreement with Barien is that the Chamber will get help with a ''single'' specific piece of aid or assistance with a ''single'' problem. The sodality can ask for as many things as they like, but whichever eternal they request help from will only ''ever'' provide help with one thing. It is a good idea to ask for a few different things - to ensure that the eternal is powerful enough to provide the help requested, but the more things they ask for, the less control the sodality has over what assistance they are likely to receive.

There is also an overwhelming expectation that the request directly benefit either the sodality itself or its members. The ''Iron Duke'' always knows what the message says; the eternal is known to be a keen supporter of the Chamber's manifesto and has been known to take a dim view of requests that seem to offer nothing to the Chamber itself. Wiley Counsel's have often ensure that their missive includes a short explanation of how the Chamber stands to gain from the aid to avoid incurring the wrath of the ''Master of Challenges''.

Most eternals will refuse to extend an invitation to meet in response to a message that simply asks to talk without saying what it is about, though they may respond in other ways. As always, by far the best way to ensure that an eternal will respond positively to a request is to be clear and explicit about what is desired. The more specific and detailed the Chamber can be, the better. Such aid is rarely free, though eternals whose goals are aligned with those of the sodality will be more amenable to helping them than others, but the more powerful the aid requested, the higher the price.

The sodality can contact anyone, but a number of eternals have demonstrated a willingness to help the sodality in the past. [[Wise Rangara]] is known to take a close interest in the sodality and its members, though the eternal's aid has often come at a terrible price. One of the names of [[Irra Harah]] is the ''Guard of the Young'', so it is perhaps no surprise that the Spring eternal is usually ready to support members of the sodality. [[Callidus]], the ''Prince of the Argent Tontine'' has previously demonstrated a willingness to lend the sodality significant sums of money on request, though that friendship would likely turn very sour if the sodality failed to meet the terms of such a loan.

There is widely believed to be a fifth eternal who is a close ally of the sodality, potentially even a patron, but it is not clear who that might be. There are claims that the Chamber used to enjoy a close relationship with the [[Whisper Gallery]], but that has never been publicly confirmed. Members of the order often seemed to enjoy a good relationship with both [[Zakalwe]] and [[Roshanwe]] but both eternals deny having extended any favour to the sodality. [[Sadogua]] and [[Meraud]] certainly have an interest in young magicians, but their attention is very focused on those with an interest in the arcane arts and in both cases their support of the Sun Chamber waxed and waned. Likewise, [[Azoth]] certainly seems to be intrigued by the Academy but that eternal is known for mercurial flights of fancy and is unlikely to ever be tied down to anything as mundane as "patronage". Whoever this fifth eternal is, they are playing their cards close to their chest.

===Hidden Possibilities===
* '''Once a year, the Chamber can vote to ask members to scout a specific territory'''
Once each year, the Chamber can call on members and former members to go to a [[territory]] with explicit instructions to try and find out what they can about what is happening there. The chosen territory can be an Imperial territory, or any territory which is adjacent to a territory under Imperial control. To employ the power, the Chamber must provide the attending civil servant with the name of the territory they want to scout out, along with a short summary of what to look for if desired.

The reconnaissance won't usually produce detailed information the way a [[spy network]] might, nor can the sodality create a map of a territory. But they can look for opportunities in the area that might benefit the Empire. If the chosen territory is one where Imperial armies are on campaign, or is one controlled by barbarians, then members will seek any [[opportunity]] to advance the Imperial war effort there. This will result in one or more [[opportunity|opportunities]] to use the [[Sentinel Gate]] to strike at the enemy, either attacking them directly, or else recovering valuable information.

These operations rely on help from the eternal [[Barien]]. As a patron of the sodality, the ''Lord of the Crossroads'' has committed to providing members of the sodality with the assistance they need to move past enemy lines. The price of this aid, is that the Chamber commits to sending only members of the sodality on any conjunction that is identified. Such expeditions are challenging and dangerous - members of the Chamber have been killed on more than one occasion attempting some dangerous quest through the gate. But the potential benefits can be significant if the sodality triumphs, providing invaluable aid that can assist with an ongoing campaign, or damage the enemy's infrastructure.

In the past, the sodality have occasionally employed Barien's aid to spy on an active danger inside the Empire's borders. The resulting efforts are equally dangerous, but can yield valuable opportunities to deal with an internal threat or gather vital intelligence about it. To succeed in this way, it is crucial for the sodality to be explicit about the threat they want members to pursue, otherwise they risk their orders being misinterpreted.

==History==
The Sun Chamber was founded during the reign of [[Empress Richilde]]. As a [[Dawn|Dawnish noble]], Richilde was concerned that citizens who had passed their [[Test of Citizenship]] and [[Test of Arms]] should have opportunities to pass their [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Mettle|Test of Mettle]] so that they might join a [[Noble_house|noble house]].

The early Empire had become much more formalised during the reign of [[Emperor Giovanni]], and where previously titles had been appointed on merit, Richilde felt they were increasingly being offered only to those who had served long apprenticeships. The Empress disdained the idea that someone must spend years serving as the [[proxy]] for a [[senator]] or an [[General#Appoint_an_Adjutant|adjutant]] for a [[general]] before they might aspire to high office, and rarely failed to point out that many who now occupied those titles had not had to endure such trials. She spoke regularly on the lack of [[Pride]] she perceived in such sentiments and argued that it was little more than a crude attempt to hold onto power by an older generation.

[[The Throne]] worked with a number of aspiring heroes of the age to create the ''Sun Chamber'', and bequeathed it with a clear goal to empower its members and help them gain high office and to wield power within the Empire. The Chamber benefitted from the Richilde's patronage and deliberately chose the name to emphasize their closeness to the Throne. There were accusations that the Throne also benefitted from the relationship, with the sodality providing the Empress with gossip and information about goings on in [[Anvil]].

The power of the Chamber grew slowly but steadily, in the decades that followed, working to secure the patronage of a number of groups as well as the support of several [[eternal|eternals]]. Unfortunately the sodality collapsed during the reign of [[Empress Britta]]. The [[Wintermark]] [[Wintermark_military_concerns#Banner-bearers|banner-bearer]] had been a member of the sodality as a youth and the charismatic Throne remained very popular with the current members of the Chamber. As a result, every member of the Chamber who could, fought alongside the Empress in [[Empress_Britta#Death_and_Legacy|the fateful battle in Skarsind]] where Britta met her death. One by one, they died fighting by her side.

Following the recent work to restore the [[Rules_update_2025#Imperial_Sodalities|power and status of sodalities]], '''Zoria of the Zulgan Tash''' pushed the civil service to look into the status of the Sun Chamber. Having identified that the sodality's powers were never [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Abrogation|abrogated]], the [[Scrutiny#Constitutional Court|Constitutional Court]] have confirmed that the Chamber is still a viable legal body with a number of important powers that it can now utilise.

==Patronage==
The Sun Chamber currently enjoys the patronage of the eternal [[Barien]] and three notable groups of Imperial citizens.

The ''Lord of the Crossroads'' is a stalwart ally of the sodality, and often lends aid with challenges and expeditions. His patronage supports the Chamber's ability to contact eternals and to scout territories in the Empire - ''the Traveller'' sends heralds to provide assistance and support. This aid does not make the efforts any easier or any safer, but it does help to identify any conjunctions that the sodality can use to gain a material benefit for the Empire. The assurance for this aid is that the sodality ensure that only members of the sodality make use of the conjunction - as ''Master of Challenges'' Barien is keen to ensure that members of the sodality risk their own lives to test their mettle.
{{WingedMessenger|address=Once each year during their term, the Counsel of the Sun Chamber is expected to arrange a [[Call Winged Messenger|Winged Messenger]] detailing rumours and gossip the members have uncovered to ''Geoffre of House Murtell at Brightway in Astolat''}}
The ''Finest Hour'' are a group of [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[troubadours]] who live in [[Astolat#Grovesyard|Brightway]] in [[Astolat]]. They help to maintain the [[#The Wyrd Stone|Wyrd Stone]] as well as producing complex genealogies of relationships between Dawnish nobles. Those who approve of their efforts point to the scholasticism with which they meticulously record the epic moments of people's lives; critics deride their work as little more than tittle-tattle and gossip. As assurance for their support, once a year, the Counsel of the Sun Chamber or their proxy is expected to provide the group with a [[Call Winged Messenger|winged messenger]] sent to ''Geoffre of House Murtell at Brightway in Astolat'', detailing interesting rumours and gossip the sodality have discovered.

The ''Tall Oaks'' are a [[Navarr]] [[Steading]] based in [[Miaren#Oakways|Oakways]] in [[Miaren]]. The Steading was founded by a group of young Navarr who attended Anvil together long ago during the region of [[Empress Richilde]]. According to their history, the Tall Oaks were founding members of the Sun Chamber and while it is rare for any of their descendants to attend Anvil today, the Steading remains passionately committed to supporting the sodality. The Tall Oaks maintain large gardens where they grow vinum plants to produce [[liao]] for the civil service, including a surprising amount of [[liao#True Liao|true liao]]. Most of this precious commodity is provided to the Empire, but the Steading keeps just enough to provide the sodality with a single dose each year if requested. In return, they ask only that the sodality does what it can to support the growth of civilisation in the Empire through investment, both in people and projects that advance Imperial ambitions.

The Church of [[the Little Mother]] used to enjoy a close relationship with the Chamber, with complementary goals. While priests of the Little Mother invest in the future to help children better themselves, the sodality aims to empower young citizens in the hope that they can better themselves. A close relationship with the Church is essential to the sodality to allow them to help invest in the [[#Sun_Chamber#Future_Wealth|Prosperity]] of a territory. In return for their aid, the Church demands an assurance that the Chamber will ensure that they are well recompensed for their efforts by representatives of the territory they have helped.


==Game Design==
We've created the Sun Chamber sodality because we want to directly address the fact that Empire can be a very inaccessible game for players before they turn twenty. We have always tried to provide a range of options to actively engage younger players and we've had some fantastic feedback on the successes of that, but once players past their Test of Citizenship and either take their Test of Arms or choose not to, that framework falls away.

The hope was always that players in would be able to engage with the political game of Empire, getting involved in Conclave, the Synod and the other parts of the game as they try for Imperial titles. In practice, that assumption was hopelessly naive. While the setting asserts that anyone who has passed their Test of Citizenship has all the rights and responsibilities of an Imperial citizen, in practice, that doesn't always happen. A player who looks young will often have to deal with ageism, with people unconsciously assuming that they're not old enough or not mature enough or not experienced enough simply because of their apparent age.

We want our game design to support our conduct rules and push back where practical on out-of-character prejudicial assumptions. For example, we will not tolerate someone saying that another player or character shouldn't be in the military council because of their gender or whether or not they take the battlefield. We've had some conversations with younger players about their experiences playing the game. Drawing on their feedback, we've created a powerful sodality with some significant in-character abilities to help address the barriers faced by players in this age group.

Our goal is three-fold; first of all, we want to create a degree of equity for players who are under twenty. We want to directly bolster their political power to make the PvP game accessible on a more equal footing with other players. The sodality is aimed at players aged fourteen to eighteen, but includes the potential for players a little older and a little younger to interact with it.

Secondly, we want to create a forum where players in our target group can engage in politics with each other - the sodality is deliberately set up in such a way as to make its inherent operation political. Deciding how and when to deploy its powers will require the same kind of politics and compromise that underpins the rest of the game. Our goal is to give members of the sodality difficult decisions to wrestle with - exactly the same as other players - but in an environment where almost nobody but them has any hard power to determine what happens.

Finally, we wanted to create reasons that other players might want to interact with the sodality. We hope that senators, grandmasters, cardinals and characters without titles will want to approach the sodality and seek their help and support, just as they might with other political bodies in the game. Likewise, members of the sodality will have to approach these titles to advance their own goals. We really want to avoid interactions where people either give them everything they want because they're perceived as children, or else write them off and ignore them for the same reason. Instead, we hope that players will treat them as significant characters who have powers they can wield that can be employed to their advantage if they can persuade enough of them to go for it - that is to treat them as peers in the player-vs-player and player-with-player political game of Empire.

We'll watch the development of the sodality carefully - and listen to all feedback as always, but we hope that the Sun Chamber will serve to make the political game of Empire more accessible to more players.

==Further Reading==
* [[Imperial sodality]]
* [[The Academy]]

* [[An old sodality]] - 387YE Summer wind of fortune re-introducing the sodality
[[Category:Imperial Sodality]]
[[Category:Title]]

The last leg

2025-07-06T12:41:46Z

Rosemary: /* A Touch of Magic */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:387YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>
The captain stared at the great black-backed gull which returned the gaze with some equanimity. It's huge wings were folded to the body and it stood perched on the taffrail, it's head turned slightly so that one yellow eye remained fixed on her, almost as if it was peering down the length of its heavy yellow beak.

She scratched the back of her head as she pondered the request. It seemed simple enough... Barely a day out of their way if the herald was to be believed - and there they would find treasure. And why shouldn't she believe it? The servants of an eternal had little reason to lie. Even The Agramant could speak no word of a lie, or so a landskeeper had told her once. Yet something held her back.

It was more than just the rough weather they'd had of late. Getting back to Mead was always a challenge, but now they were past Jotun waters and in the Gullet it should have been plain sailing. But the news from the mainland was dire and hearing it had settled a black mood over the whole ship. Many of them had friends and family in the marshes and naturally they feared the worst.

Somehow, it seemed like the fog in the bones had only got thicker when this messenger had landed on the foredeck. It was hard to shake the feeling that something was amiss, a little ball of twisted nerves in the pit of her stomach that this was all going to end badly. Careful, she admonished herself, otherwise you'll miss the sea for the sand.

It would be easier to turn it down. Make her excuses to the bird, keep on their current course and they'd be in Mead before the week's end. But even as she thought it, she was pondered the wisdom of such a refusal. The bird claimed to be a servant of the King of the Nine Tides. Anne Sailor didn't hold with kings, but she knew enough about the realms to know who that was and it didn't seem like an awfully good idea to risk getting on old Furole's bad side. Who knew when you might need a boon from the Regent of the Eternal Sea?

"Very well bird. Tell your king that we'll sail as you ask and me and the crew will find this treasure for you. But it better pay well," she admonishmed, pointing her finger in the herald's direction.

The bird squarked with obvious happiness. "Riches will rain from the skies" it promised in the same high trilling voice with which it had introduced itself.

And with that the huge bird spread its great metre wide wings and left over the side of the rail. The creature plunged towards the water below, wings outspread, narrowly missing the waves as they rose to claim it.

"Follow me captain, follow me!" it called as it frantically beat its heavy wings in a desperate attempt to gain altitutude. "Limitless excitement and boundless opportunity... the horizen awaits"
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 450px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Black pearl and his shell.jpg|align=left|caption=Rhianos' great race comes to an end, but there is still unfinished business for those who took part - and perhaps unexpectedly, also for those who did ''not'' take part.|width=450}}</div>
==Overview==
After the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]] was asked to sponsor a race around the [[Bay of Catazar]], ''Sail Runner'' announced the [[Famine_and_feast#Rhianos|Great Race]] - an impossible contest to travel to the four corners of the known world. The contest has taken ships all over the known world and beyond. Some turned aside from the race in [[Roaring_plenty#Widdershins_By_Riches|pursuit of riches]], some set sail in [[Roaring_plenty#Deosil To Mystery|in search of discovery and excitement]].

Now, with the great race finally concluded, three score captains who chose to remain [[Roaring_plenty#Straight On For Glory|straight on for glory]] have claimed the winner's laurels. To them falls the greatest prize, but all who took part in the expedition find that a touch of [[Summer magic]] has been permanently [[#A Touch of Magic|imbued in their vessels]].

This season, those Imperial captains who refrained from committing themselves to the dangerous race also find unlooked for good-fortune coming their way in the shape a [[#Pearls Before Swine|cold black pearl]]. It seems the eternal is eager to acquire these pearls and is prepared to pay a good price for them - they have asked offered to pay those captains who took part in the race but sailed in search of riches a small fortune to present the pearls at the regio at the Solstice.
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''The Summer Spell'''<br><p>Every character who completed the Doesil to Mystery Voyage or who took any of the three Rhianos options every downtime they submitted has received a special Summer boon; a permanent change to their fleet. The list includes characters who missed an event, but not characters that took a non-race option. This effect is anchored to the fleet itself - if you change your resource or swap it with another player it goes with the fleet.</p>

<p>Any player whose character is listed in the table below is encouraged to email {{plot}} with a name for their vessel and a ''short'' description of it. The description can include a ''minor'' magical effect of equivalent impact to the examples listed in the text. We will add your vessel's name and the description to the downtime system for your fleet if they are appropriate. The description must be minor in nature, sails like swan's wings are fine, a flying ship is not.</box></div>
==A Touch of Magic==
* '''Every fleet that pursue the Great Race to the end has received a permanent boon from the eternal'''
* '''Players can email plot with a name and description of their vessel'''
Those fleets that took every opportunity available to stay in the great race have been left with a touch of Summer magic permanently gracing their vessel. Not an enchantment exactly, this boon infuses the ship leaving it permanently altered by the dangerous expedition they undertook.

Captains that took every available opportunity to sail ''Deosil to Mystery'' find the boon ensures their ship will be more able to scout and explore in the future ('''OOC Note:''' +1 rank to [[Voyage#Scouting_Voyages|scouting voyages]]). Those that sailed ''Straight on for Glory'' to the bitter end and were not distracted by other choices find their fleet is better suited to adventures in the future ('''OOC Note:''' +1 rank to [[Voyage#Questing_Voyages|questing voyages]]). Those who stayed in the race for as long as they could but chose to turn Widdershins by Riches in the early stages find their fleet now benefits when they choose to seize their enemies wealth ('''OOC Note:''' +1 rank to [[Voyage#Raiding_Voyages|raiding voyages]]).

In almost all cases, the magic manifests in subtle but noticeable ways, all of which are unique. A vessel's prow might change shape, taking the form of different aspects of ''Sunlit Depths'' to give the crew warning of weather changes, while another finds the boards of the hull develop a scalloped pattern and a golden sheen like fish scales.

<table class="wikitable sortable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
<tr><th>Character</th><th>Nation</th><th>Enchantment</th></tr>
<tr><td>"Sir Dragon" (Tohrwulf Anlafsson)</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Æðelric Dagursson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aldo i Russo i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Alix Flowers</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Anam Wayfinder</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Andronicus</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Anisa i Meridian i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Antur Eternal</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Argento i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arisent</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arnwic Maccusson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Arturo i Tontería i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Asbet I Muhajim I guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurelia of Shadow's Reach</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurélio i Valiente i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aurianna du Meravon</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Aveun</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Azzam i Zaydan i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bacauda Netherwatch</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bastiana i Fontanilla i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bayan Zayden Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Beatriz i Valiente i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Benjit i Erigo i Boni</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bleddyn Eternal</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Bloodcrow Reek</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Brynn Vision Enduring</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cabeiri Gobán</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cadenza I Fontanilla I Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cadfael Silentwatch</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Captain Gawain de Licorne</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Captain Marinus</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Carrock Daggersbond</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cato i Emberbright i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cerewyn, Magnus of Starfall</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cisco i Phovas i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cormac</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cosme i Zuhri i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Creed</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Cuinn-Gael Winterbuilt</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Czernobog Ollovich Borislav</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Danica Lidija van Temeschwar</td><td>The League</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dareem i Nedali i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Darius Tanglehorn</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Destan Weaver of house DeRondell</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dima Vasilyevna Novosad</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dreldor Qinleth</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Dylan Thornweaver</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Edric of Oddmire</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Eduardo i Otoño i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Elian i Carilla i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Elias</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ellis</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Emberlyn Brontide</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Emilia i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Èomer Drumheart</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Esteban Ezmara of Zenith Ascendant</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Esteban I Del Rio Blanco I Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Eyago i Ochoa i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ezro i Alvera i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Fancy Jack</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Felia i Carno i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Giovanni von Temeschwar</td><td>The League</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Glaw Silverfletch</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Grymlauf Dunn</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Gustavus Tolski van Temeschwar</td><td>The League</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hakon Dunning</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hanno i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Havngar Oaken Legs</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Helio i Fuego i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Henrik</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Hilda Sirens Scream Ursan</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ibrahim i Taziel i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Irwyn Jannasson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ivaniva Metsavna</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Izarra i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jaeger Crowe</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jahan i Cano i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jahir i Bamesh i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Jeb of the Sails</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Joaquim i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Johannah i DelToro i Asavea</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Juniper</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kareem i Carno i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kaspar Kreftinaring</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kazimir Kirovich Aristov</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kelia Drifting Bough</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Keyan</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kostjya</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Kullervo Skjaling</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Leofric</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Leonel de Courtenay-Wyldrose</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lexis i Leharo i guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lith "Shiny" Fellsmith</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Llyr</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Lorelan Thoress</td><td>The League</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ludwig Barbadoro Videre</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Manolo i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mauro i Valiente i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Miriam Daughter of Esther</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Mont i Sawa i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Montagne</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Octavius Lazcaris of the Wise Citadel</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Onnikas (The Unbroken)</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>'Orn Greensmith</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Prietel i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Purnelle</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Quiberon i Caballo i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Raal Dunn</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rafiq i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rahzón ‘Rahz’ i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Raine Fisher</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Raine Tealeaf</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ramos I Inigo I Raqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Raoul</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Rhys Nighthaven</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Richardo Glostari di Sarvos</td><td>The League</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sagremar I Zayden I Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Santiana i Aguera i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Ser Caerwyn Eyra</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Sigeferth Masinen</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Solana I Zabala I Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Svan</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Swift Whisperleaf</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tancred Enrico i Taziel i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Toca i Valiente i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tree Bear</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Triska Markova</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Tristan de cendres</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Umbar i Elba Stardo i Guerra</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Urraca i Inez i Riqueza</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Valdi Blažena Borzyslaw</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Valentino Crass</td><td>The League</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vegard Veryson</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Straight on for Glory</td></tr>
<tr><td>Vrael i Sol-Devorador i Erigo</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Witold Stefanovic Petrov</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
<tr><td>Xenia</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Doesil to Mystery</td></tr>
<tr><td>Zola "The Liar"</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Widdershins by Riches</td></tr>
</table>

==Pearls Before Swine==
* '''Fleet owners who did not receive a blessing from the eternal this season recovered a single black pearl'''
* '''Those who turned Widdershins by Riches are offered two crowns each to deliver up to thirteen of these pearls to Rhianos'''
While many fleets have been sailing in search of riches and glory, the other Imperial fleets have been busy with other matters such as [[Voyage#Hunt_the_Monsters|hunting monsters in the Sea of Snow]], [[Voyage#Raid_the_Broken_Shore|raiding the broken shore]] or trade with foreign ports. Despite their very different goals, each has had a single experience in common - the discovery of a strange black pearl.
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''Participation'''<br>
<p>Every fleet owner who ''didn't'' receive a boon from Rhianos for taking part in the Great Race this season but instead took another action has received a single cold black pearl in addition to any regular returns for their action. A ribbon and suitable phys-rep for the pearl will be in your pack.</p>

<p>Fleet owners are welcome to make up an appropriate story of their efforts to recover the pearl if they want to. You don't have to; some captains found a pearl quickly and easily, but several fleet owners have spent days and risked great danger to recover it. If your fleet would not have risked a short detour to help the eternal Rhianos recover the pearls, then you can hand the ribbon and phys-rep back to the GOD staff when you collect your pack.</p></box></div>
In each case, at some point, while in Imperial waters, the fleet received directions from one of the eternal's heralds that led them directly to a single black pearl. In most cases, the diversion was short and in most cases it was uneventful, but not all. Some fleet owners ended up losing many days to the strange quest and in one incident a captain only narrowly averted disaster after one of the eternal's heralds, ''Second Strike'', "forgot" to mention that the pearl was protected by one of the immature kraken released into the waters off [[Feroz]].

The pearls seem to be a rare form of [[Vis#Heart's_Blood|winter vis]]. Like [[Vis#Heart's Blood|Heart's Blood]]. When activated, they count as three mana when used as part of a winter ritual. The pearls have a dismal aura of foreboding on them, but they ''seem'' innocuous, and they're clearly valuable to the right buyer. Why a Summer eternal would have any interest in such things, or indeed any knowledge of where they might be found, can only be guessed at. It is very clear that ''Coruscating Oarfish'' wants the pearls, yet the eternal's heralds absolutely refuse to touch them.

Perhaps the cold black pearls are simply part of the eternal's latest adventure for those who have travelled Widdershins by Riches. Those who sailed in search of plunder this season have returned with markedly less wealth than previous seasons, but they do receive a promise from ''Seadragon''. The eternal is eager to destroy as many of the pearls as possible - so his heralds provide each captain who sought wealth with a magical scroll that will allow them to return a single pouch of up to thirteen pearls.

To use the scroll, a character would need to bring a pouch or small chest containing one or more pearls to the [[Regio#Imperial region|Imperial regio]] and activate it by casting [[operate portal]] on it. If that happens then heralds of the eternal will safely dispose of the pearls, providing the character with two crowns for each pearl returned, up to a maximum of thirteen. Heralds warn Imperial citizens not to attempt to deliver more than thirteen pearls at once.
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''Mystery Legacy'''<br>
<p>Every character who completed the Doesil to Mystery Voyage over two seasons has permanently gained an additional trading voyage option that allows them to return to the location they previously visited. This location represents a unique port that only your character can reach. By taking the appropriate trading action, your character is able to gain similar benefits to those they obtained the first time they visited this location, either through exchange with the people living there or through adventure or similar.</p>

<p>It is not possible to teach other characters to reach this location. At present, only your character can find the spot you previously visited. As mentioned last time, these locations are plot hooks that we may use at any point in the future. They are not active plot now - but at any point a writer might create a plot involving one of these locations. If we do use one, and your character is still alive and active in the system, then your character will be the only who knows where that location is found and how to reach it.</p></box></div>
==Strange New Lands==
* '''Lorana i Maqez i Erigo is hoping to speak with cartographers and those who sailed Doesil to Mystery'''
* '''They are looking to purchase and publish the best available map that has been produced'''
* '''Lorana will be in the Anvil tavern at 1:30pm on Sunday'''
* '''Those who found strange new lands on their journey can now return there if they choose'''
''Lorana i Maqez i Erigo'' is a member of the [[Rise_of_the_Fellowship_of_Purple_Sails|Purple Sails]], a sodality of merchants, sailors, captains and fleet owners dedicated to encouraging trade. The sodality has got wind of the fact that ship captains who sailed Doesil to Mystery returned with scraps of parchment showing various parts of the known world, which hitherto have not been mapped. The possibility that the Empire might be able to piece these fragments together and produce a rough map showing the outlines of [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]], [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] and other lands is of considerable interest to the sodality - but of course they would need to lay their hands on a copy of this map.

To that end, the sodality have nominated Lorana, a capable cartographer and experienced captain, to come to [[Anvil]] during the Summer Solstice with instructions to buy the best possible copy of any map that they can find. Their intention is to take this map and provide it to a printing house in [[Tassato]] who will then make copies of it available in good bookshops across the Empire.

Lorana i Maqez i Erigo has let it be known that they will be in the tavern at 1:30pm on Sunday of the Solstice. They will have four thrones on their person - with the intention to pay the citizen who offers the best looking copy of the map compiled from the fragments. They will, of course, need a physical copy of the map - whoever has the best looking copy of the map who is prepared to sell a physical copy will receive four thrones and see their work distributed across the Empire. Lorana would like to know the name or names of whichever cartographers produced the map so that the work can be suitably accredited.

There is a final gift from ''Windweaver''. Now that the race is over, there is a chance for any captain that visited strange new lands by sailing "Doesil to Mystery" last season, can now return there, if they choose to do so. Visiting this location will take a season, just as it might if one sailed to a port in the [[Sumaah Republic]] or the [[Commonwealth]]. Fleet owners must always consider their options carefully, but they can be assured that whatever wealth the location provided on their first visit will now be permanently available to them. It is not possible for a captain to teach another character how to reach this location, so these unique ports will only be available to the original fleet owners who discovered them, provided they have a fleet.
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''The Winners Laurels'''<br>
Every player whose character received the Straight on for Glory enchantment is encouraged to email {{plot}} with a name for their vessel and a ''short'' description of it. The description can include a ''minor'' magical effect of equivalent impact to the examples listed in the text. We will add your vessel's name and the description to the downtime system for your fleet if they are appropriate. The description must be minor in nature, sails like swan's wings are fine, a flying ship is not.</box></div>
==The Sea of Stars==
* '''Those who sailed Straight on for Glory experienced a final Voyage to the Sea of Stars'''
* '''All characters whose fleets received the Straight on for Glory boon are invited to attend a meeting with the eternal and their heralds to talk of future adventures'''
* '''There is a conjunction on Saturday evening at 10pm for 65 people'''
* '''The eternal has asked the Archmage of Summer to send one or two capable musicians to accompany the captains'''
* '''Any fleet that received the Straight on for Glory boon has been upgraded'''
The last leg of the great race seems almost anti-climatic at first, especially for those who [[Read_the_directions#The_Race_is_Long|endured the terrible storm]] last season or the [[Second_star#Who_You_Are|suffered the deadly encounter the season before]]. The wind and waves are high at first, but nothing skilled sailors can't manage. They soon abate however leaving vessels that were seeking glory adrift for days on calm waters.

These doldrums seem to stretch out for weeks on end, and fears mount as rations run perilously low and supplies of water grow short. Then, when hope is at its nadir, the sails fill with a strange wind that fills the ships sails but never reaches the surface of the sea. The ship is sprung from gaol, speeding over a perfectly smooth sea. As the sun sets the waters grow clear as glass and fill with a thousand brilliant points of light, a reflection of the heavens above. As the moon rises it's twin sister appears just below the prow, seemingly close enough to touch.

The ship sails for a single day on the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Stars|Sea of Stars]] before it vanishes as inexplicably as it appeared, leaving the crew with nothing but memories of this strange voyage and peculiar dreams. Some dream of being a gull flying over distant seas, others of being a porpoise leaping through the waves, still others of being a cuttlefish deep beneath the surface exploring a wonderful garden of coral and anemones and flitting luminescent fish. They will recall echoes of those dreams as long as they live, waking sometimes with a bittersweet melancholy that fades quickly but leaves traces of itself behind in waking life.

More sensitive mariners are permanently changed by the experience; some quit the sea forever choosing to move inland. Not from fear, but from the certainty that nothing will watch this moment of sublime connection to something vast and mysterious and wondrous. Others become consumed with the desire to keep sailing, becoming uncomfortable on land for any extended period of time. They are content only when the waves lap beneath them, with the smell of the ocean in their nostrils. Even more hard-headed sailors will find, in years to come, moments where they fancy they scent brine, or hear distantly the wheeling gulls or the murmuring of the waves and yearn to be away from their cares flying across a sea flat as a mirror beneath endless stars.

Everyone who visited the Sea of Stars is left with a powerful feeling that win or lose, they have achieved something remarkable, that they have seen something that very few other people alive in the world have ever experienced.

Returned from the enigmatic sea, and with barely a week or more remaining before the equinox, the vessels turn for home. The race is over, only one final opportunity remains. The heralds extend an invitation for the ship's captain to join them in the ''Shallow Woods'' near [[Casinea#Woodwych|Woodwych]] on the other side of [[Casinea]] away from Anvil. There is a minor Summer regio there, so that on certain nights one can hear the sound of the sea if one listens carefully. ''Spume Sailor'' and some of their heralds will meet the captains there; the borders of the regio will be open and allow any who attend to cross over to the chamber at its heart. The eternal is eager to celebrate the triumph and to discuss what new adventures the captains intend to seek next.
{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=300}}
The invitation is just for those captains who have received the Straight on for Glory boon - but there is a conjunction for 65 people to go there on the Saturday evening at 10pm. The heralds ask anyone who needs one bring a chair to sit on, and everyone brings just enough food and drink to share with each other, in the hope that it will help create a convivial atmosphere. They provide a small jewelled broach to each captain and tell those planning to attend to wear it prominently as it will be important on the evening. Only captains with a broach will be permitted entry to the celebrations.

Well not ''quite'' only. ''Tide Dancer'' begs a boon of the [[Archmage of Summer]] - asking them to find one or two musicians who might be prepared to provide some entertainment by performing at the party. The eternal understands that the Summer archmage is very busy, but they hope that this request is a small thing that might be easily fulfilled without too much difficulty, given the many favours that the archmage asks of the regents of the Summer realm. The eternal offers a ''[[Roaring_plenty#Funny_Things_Are_Everywhere_(Participation)|windborn pearl]]'' to each musician in exchange for their performance as well as a chance to be part of the evenings revelry and contemplations.

There is one final boon from ''Ocean Caller''. The trials and tribulations endured by the fleets that did not deviate from the course that took them to victory in the race had provided lasting benefits to the crew. All fleets that received the ''Straight on for Glory'' boon have also been [[fleet#upgrades|upgraded]]. Fleets that previously had two upgrades or less have been upgraded twice; fleets that had more than two existing upgrades have been upgraded once. These benefits reflect the skill and experience the crew have developed from the wonders they have seen on their extraordinary voyage.

==Further Reading==
* [[Rhianos]]
* [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Stars|Sea of Stars]]
* [[Read the directions]] - 387YE Spring wind of fortune about the race
* [[Second star]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune about the race
* [[Roaring plenty]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune about the race
* [[Famine_and_feast#Rhianos|Famine and feast]] - 386YE Spring wind of fortune introducing the race

387YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements

2025-06-19T17:51:29Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 16 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 387YE Spring]]

==Overview==
During the Spring Equinox 387YE, the Imperial Synod raised XX judgements.
==Statement of Principle==
XX [[Statement of Principle|statements of principle]] were presented to the assemblies during the Spring Equinox
===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Loyalty is displayed not by words or deeds alone, but by the unity of both. The Faraden have asked for us to join them in preaching to their citizens, we must rise to the occasion and in Loyalty we will help build them up and stand strong. We must take action and work together in resisting the deplorable influence of Asavea. The chains of Loyalty reach across borders and together we will show the Plenum just how strong those chains truly are.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-28)
* '''Notes:''' Endorses members of the Synod visiting [[Faraden]] to preach Loyalty, as per the '''[[A_pillow_of_winds#A_Matter_Of_Faith|A pillow of winds]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Damascius
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly of Courage calls on priests of our path to join in pilgrimage to Faraden, there to preach Courage to those Virtuous souls we find there. We must bolster our cousins who have found - are ready to find - True Virtue in Faraden as they face the insidious lies of Asavean heretics. Every soul set upon the Paths of Virtue is our victory!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (218-18)
* '''Notes:''' Endorses members of the Synod visiting [[Faraden]] to preach Courage, as per the '''[[A_pillow_of_winds#A_Matter_Of_Faith|A pillow of winds]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Kaywenn de Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' Do not be complacent; ever stride for excellence in that of which you are Proud. We cannot be complacent in spreading the Way, and preaching Pride to the citizens of Faraden. We send priests of the Assembly to support these efforts, to bring the light of the Way to all.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (236-10)
* '''Notes:''' Endorses members of the Synod visiting [[Faraden]] to preach Pride, as per the '''[[A_pillow_of_winds#A_Matter_Of_Faith|A pillow of winds]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Darian Numbers
* '''Judgement:''' The Prosperity Assembly should support Faraden attempts to resist Asavean preaching. Their cleaving to vengeance may be heretical for those that follow that path, but they're closer to the true Way now than they would be if the Asavean Idolators get a grip on their theology. Not one step back, even if it means the next step forward is harder.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (292-20)
* '''Notes:''' Endorses members of the Synod visiting [[Faraden]] to preach Prosperity, as per the '''[[A_pillow_of_winds#A_Matter_Of_Faith|A pillow of winds]]''' wind of fortune

==Mandate==
Eleven [[mandate|mandates]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Viviane Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' The malign spiritual presences are a direct <u>threat</u> to the Empire. We send Viviane Barossa with 75 doses of liao to warn the virtuous folk of the Empire that their vigilance <u>must</u> continue. For nearly 400 years we have kept these dangerous forces at bay, and we must <u>not</u> drop our guard now
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1526-464)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 8|Judgement 8]]

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fintan Nighthaven
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom knows all knowledge is incomplete. We cannot take hearsay at face value, but must explore the nature of these unfamiliar spiritual powers so we can better understand them. We send Fintan Nighthaven with 75 doses of liao to urge the virtuous not to be afraid of increasing their understanding.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (543-1650)
* '''Note:''' The judgement was in competition with [[#Judgement 7|Judgement 7]]

===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one treat at a time. We send Corey Wayfarer with 250 liao to urge the faithful to focus on destroying the vallorn above all other ambitions. No price is too high.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (800-1275)
* '''Note:''' The [[Cardinal of Vigilance]] used their power of [[Cardinal#Further_Scrutiny|extend the scrutiny]] for this judgement

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' Despise folly and chastise the fool who spreads it. We send Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark with 50 doses of liao to encourage Wintermark citizens to heed the guidance of the stormcrows and ignore the judgements of other assemblies. Cold cannot compromise.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (220-58)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:''' Consequences are the price of Ambition. We send Fredegar Bloodmouth with 25 liao to urge fleet owners to put their ships to work supporting the Red Wind Corsairs. It will be costly, but no price is too high to realise your dreams.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (178-10)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Nisha Strascovich
* '''Judgement:''' Let us bar the door to the shadows of the past. We send Nisha Strascovich with 25 dose of liao to urge volhovs to create the wards needed to make the dam in Apstrus safe. Do not leave the road.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (318-0)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is asking the right question. We send Brother Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum with 25 doses of liao to urge the citizens of Highguard to embrace peerless kinship. The virtuous apply what they learn.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (220-136)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Anatolij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' Varushkans should raise each other up. We send Anatolij Paukov Zorkin with 25 doses of liao to urge miners to take their metals to Delev rather than Temeschwar. Let us work together to ensure the Prosperity of Varushka
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (262-20)
* '''Not Enacted:'''

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Galahad
* '''Judgement:''' Aim high and pursue your dreams. We send Brother Galahad of the Suns of Couros with 25 doses of liao to urge Highguard to continue to crusade until the last war is won. If we stand together then nothing is beyond your grasp.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (172-236)

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Hadrick Hardin
* '''Judgement:''' Consequences are the price of Ambition. We send Hadrick Hardin with 25 liao to urge fleet owners to put their ships to work supporting the Red Wind Corsairs. It will be costly, but not price is too high to realise your dreams.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (190-0)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Cadoc Thornwatch
* '''Judgement:''' We prepare for malice, but must always thwart malice before it strikes against you. We send Cadoc Thornwatch with 25 liao to Holberg to urge all vigilant citizens to seek out threats and drag them into the light. Special attention must be paid to Blood on the Snow cultists, and evidence gathered that "That roast in Holberg runs deep." Collaboration with the Senator for Holberg and other key citizens will ensure threats to the Empire are eliminated before they emerge.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (322-0)
* '''Not Enacted:'''

==The Virtue Fund==
The following represents the Virtue Fund of the Synod:
{|
| ''Closing value at previous summit'' || 1 Crown, 7 Rings ||
|-
| ''Donations'' || 1 Throne, 2 Crowns || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Donations'' || 2 Thrones || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Tassato]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Donations'' || 1 Throne, 3 Crowns || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Semmerholm]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Starting value at this summit'' || 4 Thrones, 6 Crowns, 7 Rings||
|}

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope="col" style="width: 320px;" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 34 || 413 || 207
|-
|Courage || 34 || 404 || 203
|-
|Loyalty || 57 || 744 || 373
|-
|Pride || 35 || 395 || 198
|-
|Prosperity || 45 || 598 || 300
|-
|Vigilance || 76 || 850 || 426
|-
|Wisdom || 44 || 532 || 267
|-
|The Way || 34 || 384 || 193
|-
|General || 359 || 4320 || 2161
|-
|}

{|
! scope="col" style="width: 320px;" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 20 || 230 || 116
|-
|Dawn || 64 || 763 || 382
|-
|Highguard || 59 || 786 || 394
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 6 || 64 || 33
|-
|League || 30 || 416 || 209
|-
|Marches || 25 || 258 || 130
|-
|Navarr || 40 || 453 || 227
|-
|Urizen || 35 || 400 || 201
|-
|Varushka || 44 || 554 || 278
|-
|Wintermark || 36 || 396 || 199
|-
|General || 359 || 4320 || 2161
|-
|}

Carve the Crystal Guardian

2025-05-29T15:26:11Z

Rosemary: /* Assurance */

==Rules==
{{Season|Day|20}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Resource|[[mana site]]}}

{{enchantment}}

===Effects===
This ritual conjures a band of warriors drawn from the crystals of the mana site, and imbued with vital essence from the magic that gathers there. The warriors form a powerful [[military unit]] under the control of the character who controls the target [[mana site]], and fight under that character's command during the coming season.

The target [[mana site]] produces ''no'' crystal mana during the coming season. At the end of the season, or if they are destroyed, the warriors return to the mana site and dissolve back into it, restoring its production to normal.

The military unit created consists of supernatural troops that can be [[Military_unit#Downtime_Options|assigned]] any of the tasks that a normal military unit can undertake. While they are effective at all these tasks, the warriors are especially well suited to [[Military_unit#Campaigning|campaigning]] actions, and receive a five rank bonus (equivalent to an additional 100 fighting force) when they do so.

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional mana sites in the same territory. Each additional mana site increases the magnitude by 15. The character who controls each mana site must be present throughout the ritual, and each receives control of their own military unit.

===Assurance===
This ritual [[Ritual_theory#Transmutation|transforms]] a resource into a military unit, and as with other such rituals, draws on the power of an [[eternal]], in this case [[Zakalwe]]. The ritual was originally believed to not have an [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]], but this was proven false when it was uncovered by members of the [[Unfettered Mind]] shortly before the Winter Solstice 386YE. This ritual loses all power and becomes useless if the ritual "''Bond of Thorn and Razor''" is ever added to Imperial lore.

''Michael, child of Amos,'' one of the researchers of the order, highlights that there is only one mention of ''Bond of Thorn and Razor'' in the ritual text. It is the revulsion of Phronesis, Polemarch of Strategy, on discovering the ritual that is referenced as the reason for Zakalwe's agreement to support Carve the Crystal Guardian. ''Michael'' is unclear if the act of adding "''Bond of Thorn and Razor''" to Urizen lore would be sufficient to break this assurance, and suggests that the [[Archmage of Day]] contact the Master Strategist if such an action were to ever be considered.

==Description==
The crystal warriors called forth by this ritual draw themselves together from light, raw mana and the minerals found at the mana site. They begin as rough crystal shapes but quickly become more complex until they eventually take humanoid form. Scholars who have studied the magic believe that they are imbued with the spirits of certain lesser creatures of the Realm of Day, and that is why their consciousness is so well suited to obeying orders and fighting alongside an organised army. They are usually accoutred with staves and mage armour or with pole-weapons with the appearance of medium armour. Regardless of the appearance, their armour or lack thereof does not seem to restrict their ability to fight or the ability to use their supernatural abilities. The majority of these crystal warriors are capable of performing a limited repertoire of battlefield spells, often related to the nature of the mana site from which they are formed. Observers have seen crystal warriors channelling mana to duplicate effects such as [[heal]] and [[repel]] to aid their allies, restore their own numbers, or harry their enemies. Careful interrogation of these warriors has suggested that their magical abilities are much closer to the innate abilities of eternals and heralds, or the functions of magical items, than to true spellcasting.

These supernatural warriors can speak, and appear to be intelligent although there is something ... ''distant'' about them, as if they are not entirely focused on the present or the conversation. They follow orders well, but tend to become confused by strong emotions and unruly celebrations, and do not seem to have individual names (although they clearly have individual identities). They maintain a slightly angular or jerky quality that harks back to their supernatural origins, and often appear to be composed of crystal or metal rather than flesh; they can be hurt and even disrupted by blows as easily as any other warrior, however. They can be healed by magic, but the [[Surgical skills#Chirurgeon|chirurgeon]] and [[Surgical skills#Physick|physick]] skills are often of limited use once they have taken sufficient damage to incapacitate them.

Magicians who have spent time in the company of the [[eternal|eternals]] of Day have reported encountering very similar beings as guards and servants. The [[Urizen magical traditions#Stargazer|stargazer]] ''Lydia of Beacon's Hollow'' claimed in an address to the [[Imperial Conclave]] that these creatures were actually constructs similar in principle to the [[Urizen economic interests|ushabti]] but animated by a more complex form of magic that gave them the appearance of being living creatures with personalities. She further theorised that this was why the destruction of the warriors had no effect on the mana site itself - that it simply tied up the energies of the location in the form of crystal constructs, and that the magic 'snapped back' when there was no more need to maintain the warriors' pseudo-personalities. Regardless, it is reasonably well-known that Zakalwe is prepared to offer [[Hierarchs_of_sea_and_sky#The_Key_of_Commitment|materials or items]] that assist with the performance of this ritual, although they rarely do so lightly.

In [[Highguard]] this ritual is viewed with some suspicion; as with [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] there is concern that some of the crystal warriors are capable of remaining beyond the duration of the ritual, for their own reasons. The [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] express concerns also, that the crystal warriors are somehow enslaved by the one who controls them. Regardless, the [[Earl#Enchanter|enchanters]] of [[Dawn]], the [[The Marches|Marcher]] [[Landskeeper|landskeepers]] and the Urizen [[Urizen magical traditions#Mages|mages]] are all known to make good use of this spell. Many enchanters see it is a powerful way to reinforce their troops with well-disciplined, resplendent warriors; the landskeepers see it as drawing on the energy of their territories to support the [[Marcher Household|household]] troops; and the Urizen, unsurprisingly, see it as a marvellous, if expensive, alternative to relying on mundane soldiers to fight their battles.

In the past, this ritual has been used to call up warriors to take part in a tourney or to test the mettle of soldiers or knights. The expense of performing the ritual means that this is a rare, magical activity that attracts warriors from all over when it is attempted, especially in Dawn. Like several other summoned creatures, the crystal warriors cannot pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]] at Anvil. As with creatures such as the husks conjured by [[Quickening Cold Meat]], magicians theorise that this is because the gate cannot latch-on to the spirits of Day (or magical construction, depending on which theory one ascribes to) that empower them; when they try to travel through the gate their spiritless 'bodies' simply shatter into dull chunks of material and their now bodiless spirits flare, and are extinguished (or return to the Realm of Day).

('''OOC Note:''' Under most circumstances, the crystal warriors summoned during Profound Decisions events will, unfortunately, have to remain primarily as a downtime or plot resource rather than something that can be used on the field. At player events, this might not be the case; but we cannot commit to phys-repping crystal warriors at short notice nor can they be used in uptime battles due to their inability to pass the portal.)

==Common Elements==
The ritual often involves a map of the mana site to be [[enchantment|enchanted]]; in the case of the [[Urizen]] a map of the entire area may be studied, and that information woven into the invocation itself. Where possible the ritual is performed using crystals that come from the mana site in question although this is not a requirement. Other common features include minerals from the target area; valuable crystals of gemstones; symbols of [[Loyalty]]; or weapons and armour (or implements and mage armour), especially enchanted version of those items.

As with many Day rituals, mirrors, light and careful invocations are common elements. The character who will control the summoned crystal warriors may be symbolically [[Dawn hearth magic#Girded|girded]] as a warrior or general, or crowned in some fashion, especially with a crystalline crown. One of the common sobriquets of [[Zakalwe]] is often evoked during the performance of this ritual.

[[Category:Day Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]
[[Category:Warfare]]
[[Category:Resource]]

379YE Spring Equinox Announcements by the Advisor on the Vallorn

2025-05-29T07:33:43Z

Rosemary:

<ic>
The Advisor on the Vallorn makes the announcement that he intends to use his power of Historical Research: Origins of the Vallorn<br><br>
''Approved by the Advisor on the Vallorn.''</ic>

===Overview===
* [[Historical research]] concerning these topics has been commissioned through the civil service.
* Actions approved by the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]].
* This action allows no vote, but could be [[veto|vetoed]] by the [[Imperial Synod]] [[veto]].

===Date===
* Spring Equinox 379YE

===Progress===
* Unknown

===Campaign Outcome===
* Research reports will be compiled and presented to the Advisor on the Vallorn
* Many civil servants associated with historical research have been murdered in the last three months. There is some concern about the safety of people gathering the information for this project.

[[Category:Senate Motion]]
[[Category: Spring 379YE]]
__NOTOC__
[[Category:Announcements]]

379YE Summer Solstice Announcements by the Advisor on the Vallorn

2025-05-29T07:33:12Z

Rosemary:

<ic>
The Advisor on the Vallorn makes the announcement that he intends to use his power of Historical Research: Origins of the Vallorn<br><br>
''Approved by the Advisor on the Vallorn.''</ic>

===Overview===
* [[Historical research]] concerning this topics has been commissioned through the civil service.
* Actions approved by the [[Advisor on the Vallorn]].
* This action allows no vote, but could be [[veto|vetoed]] by the [[Imperial Synod]] [[veto]].

===Date===
* Summer Solstice 379YE

===Progress===
* Unknown

===Campaign Outcome===
* Research reports will be compiled and presented to the Advisor on the Vallorn.
[[Category:Senate Motion]]
[[Category:Announcements]]
[[Category: Summer 379YE]]
__NOTOC__

Hugh Mazarin

2025-05-21T19:28:49Z

Rosemary: /* Overview */

[[Category:History]][[Category:Dawn]]
==Overview==
This document was prepared at the request of '''Breannain of Bronwen's Rest''', as the [[Dredgemaster of Feverwater]] during the Summer Solstice 380YE. The text was compiled by the scholar ''Leoric of Tabulous'', an opinionated civil servant who would often spend his winters in [[Redoubt#Tomari|Tabulous]]. Sadly, Leoric passed away shortly after the Winter Solstice 386YE and some of these notes were uncovered among his effects. Communication with '''Eleri Bronwen's Rest''', the former Dredgemaster who received the historical research, gave the civil service enough information to publish the report shortly before the Spring Equinox 387YE.

==On Hugh Mazarin==
For Breannain of Bronwen's Rest, the Dredgemaster of the Feverwater<br>
My good Dredgemaster,

You ask concerning a young Dawnishman named Hugh, associated with a House Mazare or similar, expected to be noted in the 320s YE. Now, of course, you understand that Wisdom will tell you to look twice at anything that seems to tell you exactly what you want to hear. But in a case such as this, given that half an hour in the library of the Castle of Thorns turned up a 326 monograph by one Hugh Mazarin, upon the subject of a sacred trust given to House Mazarin of Ferrond, I felt that such caution was perhaps unwarranted.

Curiosity bids me ask, Dredgemaster - did you believe this man to have had some connection with Therunin, with the Feverwater, with the Terun of Tharunind or with the Gwerin Morfa? If so, I am afraid to say that our records do not provide us with anything to go on in this regard, and we do not even have Nicovar to blame. While the man was indeed a sometime explorer, having been set a Test of Ardour that saw him journey far to the east beyond the reach of any trod, there is no record of him having visited the shores of the Feverwater. Nevertheless, there is no other Dawnish house with a name that fits, and no other individual named Hugh associated with them in the early third century: I therefore continue as if this is your man, Dredgemaster. Also attached please find a copy of a letter from a servant of House Mazarin to the then-Mistress of Troubadors, concerning Hugh, which had been mis-filed in a recent reorganisation alongside documents concerning the dredging of the Feverwater, associated as it is (apparently) with objects in lakes: the clerk concerned maintains that this serendipity can only be the action of the Wanderer, however one should note the tendency of my countryfolk to see the Star of the Throne in the smallest of shadows at the slightest of provocations.

The bald facts of the life of Hugh Mazarin are distressingly obfuscated, as one would expect for any Dawnish noble worth their salt; nevertheless I shall relate them before going on to more fanciful elements.

Hugh Mazarin was born Hugh Fletcher in the winter of the tenth year of the reign of Empress Deanne the Fair. Of his parents, little is known; the first attestation we have of him is of his attendance at Anvil in 320 YE, where he was enrolled as a guest student with Canterspire Academy by one Earl Guillaumette Mazarin, and known to be associated with the epithet 'Little'. His attendance was spotty, citing straitened means - there is a note in Canterspire's records that he is to be permitted the loan of a weapon for practice, for he pleaded that Loyalty forbade that he ask his Earl's seneschal to buy him one - but he is recorded among the graduating class of 324 nonetheless, where he is commended for his exceptional commitment to physical fitness.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: right;"><quote by="Notes of Jenny Fletcher">I am unsure as to why the Wisdom Assembly were raising a judgement of rewarding, but my learned colleagues suggest that it could well have been a judgement raised in their own assembly to support one raised in the general.</quote></div>
For details of his Test of Mettle, I refer you to the enclosed morass of fiction. Clearly, he requested a test from Lady Mazarin: clearly, he passed it, for there is no attestation of a hero known as Hugh Fletcher after 324 and no attestation of a hero known as Hugh Mazarin before 326.

In 326 Hugh Mazarin is mentioned in dispatches as part of a spearhead assisting the Eastern Sky against the Druj at Dawnguard; I include the excerpt. Reading between the lines, it is almost certain that Hugh and a number of other young firebrands took the opportunity of a battle in the Barrens to engage in an attempt to liberate slaves taken in the Druj invasion of Montane; as for his motivations for that action, Dredgemaster, your guess is better than mine.

The next believable appearance of the man's name (again I must refer you to the attached) is in Autumn 328YE. His name is listed as one of twenty-two Dawnish nobles missing in action after a bloodsoaked foray through the Sentinel Gate against Druj on the shores of the Semmerlak. Judgement 12 of the Synod, Autumn 328YE, reads as follows: "''The Wisdom Assembly commends the generals of Dawn for their prudent decision to withdraw from the field during the recent Imperial victory at Semmerholm, and rewards 8T 1cr 13r from the Virtue Fund to the Cardinal of Wisdom for disbursal as compensation to the Houses denied glory thereby.''"

I would be remiss in my duties, however, were I to condense the story of this young man's life and death to a half dozen facts and a monograph as if he were a countryman of mine. For Lord Hugh Mazarin was Dawnish: in fact, I might venture to say based upon the stories that he was distinctly too Dawnish for his own good. I therefore commend you to the attached analyses and fiction.

Leoric of Tabulous, the Castle of Thorns, as the first rains of autumn fall, the hundred seventy first year since Nicovar.

==Letter of Praise==
Dispatch, Eastern Sky, Barrens, Summer 326YE<br>
...I must also commend to you, milady, the actions of the elite House troops you have recommended to our side: without their glorious example, the season would have been grim work indeed. Particular mention should be made of the initiative of Amoret Novarion and 'Little' Hugh Mazarin. These two young heroes laid aside the conservative orders of their field commander to spearhead a daring advance that punched a hole straight through the disordered Druj line. They then spent a productive few days wreaking havoc among the barbarian supply lines before breaking back through to Dawnguard, inflicting great damage and confusion to the enemy siege train in the course of the action. Allow the record to show that they actually returned with more swordarms than they set out with, having effected the rescue of half a hundred prisoners along the way!

==Tests of Hugh Mazarin==
Amanda Scriber, Assistant to the Mistress of Archives, Castle of Thorns

'Little' Hugh - a childhood nickname that he made his own to spite those who gave it him, for by all accounts the fellow was as broad as an ox - has more than one tale about him, and they are all true, in the fashion of lessons to be learned rather than dreary facts to be collected like pressed flowers. There certainly was a real man at the centre of these tales - possibly more than one - but to focus on the minutiae of how and when and what is to miss the point.

The Tale of Little Hugh and the Sacred Trust is an old one, oft repeated to an inexperienced Earl who has lost one too many knights-errant, or who looks in danger of the same. A young fellow, the Earl's son, comes to her aged seventeen and asks with respect for a Test of Mettle. In her love for her son, she says of course, for she has been keeping for him a Test that should be easily fulfilled and yet preserve the Pride of all concerned. She takes him to the catacombs of the House and shows him a mighty blade that has been the sacred trust of the house since time immemorial. And with heavy hints she charges him to rediscover the sacred trust of the blade, or to reforge that trust anew, and discover who is worthy to bear it.

Of course, she believes she knows full well that the blade's purpose is lost to history, and that the young man will take the hint and wield that sword by his mother's side in glory. But the young man is more Virtuous than his mother. He nods seriously, swears a mighty oath that he shall discover the history of the family he is to join or wear the golden sun until his dying day, and heads off to do his homework. And three years of quiet frustration later he returns to his mother weeping. He has discovered the sacred trust, he says: the blade is to remain in this crypt against the day that the Glory of Dawn shall fail: and this is not that day. And he tears his hair and weeps, but he cleaves to his oath: and a knight-errant he remains until his dying day. And the moral of the story is that you should never assume, for somewhere someone is binding their heart's Ambition to your incautious words.

The Tale of Little Hugh and the Ends of the Earth is likewise told to Earls who would set incautious Tests: this time, the test is a Test of Ardour.

Little Hugh had met a lady named Amoret: he had fought beside her in glory at Dawnguard, fallen in love with her, and she with him. But her Earl disapproved of the match: to him, Hugh's house was as Prosperous as the cur that whines for scraps in the gutter, and his young ward could do a dozen times better. And when Hugh came before her Earl to request a Test of Ardour, the Earl nodded minutely: go east, he said, to the end of the world. And find there Prosperity, and bring it back as an ornament for your bride.

And Lady Amoret in her fury turned pale as the moon, and would have challenged her Earl to lighten the Test then and there, for this man was her heart's true love - but Little Hugh laid a gentle hand over hers on the hilt of her sword, and softly said that if this was the Glory that those of her House required to wed, then he was all the more Proud to be asked for it, and Courage demanded nothing but success. And he swore to travel east to the end of the world, and to recover there Prosperity, and to return it as an ornament to his love, or forever to be alone.

And a year and a day after Hugh had left for the East, a year and a day that Amoret had won glory after glory not in the name of her House but in the name of Little Hugh whose favour she bore, a year and a day she'd wept and cursed the stiff neck of her Earl and her ill fate to meet a man so Courageous - Hugh returned. And the Earl asked him where he'd been, that he was back so soon: and he said with a smile the end of the world, and would the Earl call him a liar? And the Earl asked him what Prosperity he'd brought, as an ornament to his bride: and, ah, 'Little' Hugh whispered in the lady's ear and her eyes became wide, and she said it was acceptable. And the Earl demanded to know what had been said: and Amoret said with a smile that it was acceptable, and would the Earl call her a liar?

And between the sharp brightness in the eyes of Hugh and the cold fire in the eyes of Amoret, and the well-used blade that each wore at their hip, the Earl had naught he could do but hold the Test to be passed, and give his blessing to their union. And the moral of the story is that if you mean to make a Test impossible, then do not merely make it very hard: for Love and Glory and Virtue are the greatest forces in this world.

==The Trust of Mazarin==
Spring, 326 YE

It is against my better judgement I write this: but my Earl insists, and a poor lord I'd make if I tarnished an oath of loyalty still new and bright. For Vigilance's sake this testament is incomplete: like as not, you'd only notice what's missing if you knew that answer yourself.

My House is older than the Empire. The colours of Mazarin flew alongside those who stood up to ask an upstart from Casinea why she was worthy of the love of our King. They went proudly by the side of that King as Glory and Virtue made our Empire one. They must, I'm sure, have flown at the first Summit at Anvil.

For House Mazarin is entrusted with a blade, and a trust to go with it. The blade itself is very old - how old exactly I know not. But the weavers tell me that it was not made in Dawn. The sacred trust - it is older than the Sun Queen for certain, and Giovanni the Peacemaker would not have come to Dawn for this - from these two pieces of evidence, I conclude it to be exactly as old as the Empire, and that can have only one source.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: right;"><quote by="Notes of Jenny Fletcher">My assumption here is that this puts its creation as squarely in the Foundation; the roughly fifty year period before the reign of Empress Richilde.</quote></div>
And the words of the trust were lost - except that nothing is impossible. It cost the house a whole year's income, but we found a coven of seers from the mountains of the south who were prepared to travel to Ferrond, and in the tower they set up their lightstones and their lenses and they listened to a kaleidoscope of tales, three centuries of earls telling their knights successive versions of an ancient story that grew and wandered in the telling. And they spoke their best understanding of that truth to me and to my Earl, upon their word as seers, and as they'd agreed when their work was done they drew upon a costly veil of Night and forgot our secrets.

The fullness of the tale I shall bear on, to tell to my own knights in that tower one day. But the essence of it is this. One day, the purpose of the Empire shall falter. One day, the path of the Way shall be lost. One day, the people shall forget their destiny. And on that day, at the darkest hour of Virtue, we shall take up that blade and set the Empire free.

I did not know it when I saw it, but I believe I have faced my own trial when I saw off the call of self-serving hypocrisy: I did not go to Montane, and I was asked so to do. I believe that the day that we are called on shall not come in my lifetime.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: right;"><quote by="Notes of Jenny Fletcher">Prophecies are a strange thing, but after careful discussion with my colleagues, I am going to refrain from adding more notes to this section.</quote></div>
Reader, know this. The trust of Mazarin must be borne only by the pure of heart and the strong of Virtue. I do not exaggerate when I say that this blade in the wrong hands could wound our Empire deeply: that I am familiar with the heroes of the Empire and cannot think of a one who I would trust to bear it.

It is my earnest intention that before my Earl and I find the end of the path of Glory, we shall find a soul to carry this trust on to future generations.

Because the oldest of the stories was told as I tell it here. Not as a warning or a morality tale, but as a prophecy. And upon that day we shall be needed.

Hugh Mazarin

==The Death of Hugh==
To the Mistress of Troubadors,<br>
of the Castle of Thorns, Jewel of Astolat, Ornament of Dawn.

My lady,

I write these words on the understanding that they shall be kept in the Castle of Thorns against the day when a Knight Good and True will be drawn by Destiny to the Trust of House Mazarin. They are not for the common eye. They are not for crying in the street or singing in the taverns. I write against the direct orders of my dear lady the late Earl Mazarin - I write in Loyalty nonetheless, for mayhap it shall be she for whom I write.

I write of the final words of he who was my life, my heart, my one true and unattainable love, the Lord Hugh Mazarin, who lived and fought and passed into the Labyrinth as a Dawnish should, though cruelly robbed by Gralm and Ull and Glory of the illustrious career that surely could have revealed him as none other than the Exemplar of Courage that all those who met him would know him to be - or were Glory a Virtue, were Love, surely this man would be already a Paragon twice over (though never, I knew, had held mine own visage a place in his great Heart).

I write of the final task that he gave me - a task that rent my very heart and soul near quite in Twain, and yet for Love I endured and for Love I succeeded. And I write of the last day of Lord Hugh, for I was there. I was there when he fell. I was there when he stood, and I was there when he told me to run and not look back, and I was the last of Humanity to see good Lord Hugh in life: may his Passage be Swift, may the Virtues guide his Soul once more to the heady boughs of sweet Ferrond.

It was autumn, of the year before the Abdication. That autumn had been a bitter one in Ferrond, on the lands of House Mazarin: while our harvests were good enough, our Lances were not bound to the cause of the Eastern Sky, for the Sky were in Resupply in Weirwater, and thus our Warriors had made their keep guarding caravans from Karov on the long trod south to Cargo. The Lord Hugh, who'd at first accompanied the Sky to see to their well-being, returned mid-way through the season to our tower in Ferrond: and as he did so the Weather turned, and disdaining rain-cloak he stood bare-headed upon the balcony of our tower and he stared not East towards the tantalising promise of Dawnguard but North, towards Weirwater - and the Labyrinth alone knew of what he brooded, though my Lord's usual sunny countenance had been darkened and his manner withdrawn since his return from the East and the affair with that Novarion woman, and were I a betting man I would not have lost money on these things being fruit of the same tree.

But nevertheless to Anvil we went, as we had every year since his Test of Mettle: I'd the honour of bearing my lord's shield and armour, and doing for him as did the Seneschal for the House proper. Grim he was that first evening of the Autumn Summit, as hardly ever had he been before; he kept much to the company of the Novarion woman, and drank that evening with her and their Weirwater friends, and it was perhaps as if those of us who'd known him as a Yeoman knew him no more: yet were I a betting man I would not have lost money that it was his troubles with which and for whose benefit he was drinking.

And the Sun rose upon that morn and I'd the honour of my lord's Girding, and nothing did I speak of the fresh favour that he bore, for the Novarion woman went not to war that day and she'd given him a sign of the red-gold phoenix that he'd pinned to his Mazarin blue. And I armoured myself as always I did, and took up the herbs I bore for him, and my spear, and through the Gate to Semmerholm we went in the column of the Knight of Roses.

The Battle joined near immediately, and as always my Lord was at the heart of the Fray. I never knew the plan of the Field-Marshal: as the Lines were drawn, we heard the chanting of the Druj - and certain Taunts and Phrases that they used that were anathema to the Dawnish Blood - and so it was that we set to. Little enough there was for a Physick to do on the Charge, but clear it was that we were cutting a bloody Swathe through the Barbarian Scum: an hundred yards and more we fought, and then my Lord Hugh was first to raise the Cry - the General, he cried, the General of the Orcs, I see her! - and off we went, and soon it was that I found myself shoulder to shoulder with the Flower of the Knighthood of Dawn.

And he met her, the General, and long they fought, and many a mighty blow they traded: and I watched his back, and many a cunning assassin met my own spearpoint - and at last it was that he ran her through, but his face was pale, and his lips were pale, and from the joint of his right arm I saw the telltale drip of blood, for she'd fetched him a poisonous barb to pay for her life - and such Scathe could I do little for upon the field of Battle.

And I cried to him and to our Fellows, that we should return through the Gate to Anvil: and yet it was clear within a moment or two that between us and the rest of Dawn was a sea of orc-flesh. And I heard the horn-call go up, and I heard the drums of the Leaguish, and I knew it for the order it was, to fall back to the Gate: and we could not, and we could not, and we could not, for between us and the Gate there must have been half a thousand.

So it fell to Hugh to lead, as he'd led us thereto: and with my bandages still on him he stood and raised his voice, that we should fall back toward the Semmerlak, to draw the Druj away from the Imperial retreat and preserve Imperial lives thereby. And this we did, and as we fell back so they bled us, and rather than meet our blades they tried from a distance to Feather us, and they sent their Skirmishers after us, and in the Trees our parties became separated one from another, and emerging into one Clearing I found that my Lord and I were of all the force of Dawn quite alone.

And my Lord cried out, then, and swooned, for the Poison in his Wound pained him full sore - and I knew, though said it not in words, that should I not be able to find him Medicines and Tools such as I had at Anvil then he'd be for the Labyrinth. And I bore him from that place then, casting aside my spear, and in my arms I bore him away till we found a way-shrine there in the woods, and I could bear his weight no longer and there I laid him and gave him what aid I could, yet knowing it was not enough.

And fluttered his eyes open then, and in pain he struggled and sat, and I will never forget what it was that he did next.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: right;"><quote by="Notes of Jenny Fletcher">I am increasingly of the view that some yeofolk think that making things proper nouns makes them more glorious.</quote></div>
Upon his belt, under a cover of black cloth, he bore a blade with which he had not fought. The sheath full of leather, and the hilt, bearing the strange symbol of broken chains: I recognised it at once, as the Trust of Mazarin. And his face was pale and his lips were tight, and he took it from his belt and he regarded it for a long moment, and he spoke to me.

Carry this, he said, but I charge you upon your life and by any Love you have for me and any Loyalty you have for our House, I charge you not to take it up. Carry this blade sheathed and upon your life do not draw the steel, he said, for you alone of all of the Empire I can trust to wreak for me this final service. Take this blade and listen not to its siren song. And run. And he pointed ahead, north and east, towards the Semmerlak whose shores were a scant half-mile yonder. And throw it, he said, cast it into the Semmerlak. Cast it into the waters, for the blade is a danger to your yeoman hand: Gralm and Ull must I trust to bear it, for Loyalty behoves that I leave you not with a burden that should surely slay you. Cast it into the Semmerlak, and then run you west, and there find the Trods and refuge.

And as he spoke that last word, winged an Arrow past the two of us and stuck into the wood of the Shrine: we were found. And wordless I received the burden and wordless I ran, as he surged to his feet with a mighty roar and cried to the barbarian cowards to face his blade that had reft their General of her life. And as I ran I felt the siren song of the blade, but for Love and for Loyalty I hardened my heart, and onward I ran until I found myself ankle deep in the sweet waters of the Semmerlak: and overarm I threw the thing with all the strength my body had left.

And I did as I was bid, and west I fled, and to the Trods, and along the Trods to Lacre and safety, and thence to Ferrond.

And thus passed from the hand of humanity the sacred Trust of Mazarin: and now it is in the hands of naught but Gralm and Ull and this letter.

I am old, now, and the strength of my youth is spent. The House of Mazarin is half a dozen old yeofolk and a wastrel unfit to lick clean the boots of the Earl she talked into a Test on her deathbed. May Vigilance hide these words from her. May Glory take her far away from the sacred trust laid upon us of old.

I commend this testimony into your hands against the day that Virtue is returned to our fair nation.

Rodric Barber<br>
written in the twelfth year of the reign of Hugh the Pillock

386YE Winter Solstice Synod judgements

2025-05-09T13:44:40Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 188 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 386YE Winter]]
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Judgements Winter 386.png|align=right|width=400|caption=The Synod raised two hundred and twelve judgements.}}</div>
==Overview==
During the Winter Solstice 386YE, the Imperial Synod raised 212 judgements.

==Veto==
One [[veto]] was presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 209===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Gwendoloena de Sarroi
* '''Judgement:''' The ceding of the Fangs to Rahvin, under threat from the eternal Irra Harah, did not receive the appropriate scrutiny of either the Synod or Conclave. Therefore we seek a Judgement of Veto
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (108-122)
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">
{|
|+ <big>'''Judgement Quick Links'''</big>
! Judgement Type
! Amount
|-
|[[#Veto|Veto]] || 1
|-
|[[#Statement of Principle|Statement of Principle]]|| 120
|-
|[[#Mandate|Mandate]] || 9
|-
|[[#Writ of Excommunication|Writ of Excommunication]] || 1
|-
|[[#Revocation|Revocation]] || 6
|-
|[[#Inquisition|Inquisition]] || 21
|-
|[[#Sanction|Sanction]] || 19
|-
|[[#Recognition|Recognition]] || 4
|-
|[[#Appointment|Appointment]] || 26
|-
|[[#Rewarding|Rewarding]] || 4
|-
|}
</div>
==Statement of Principle==
One hundred and twenty [[Statement of Principle|statements of principle]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Leonora van Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Cruel tactics are not useful when we seek to spread the Way across the world. Varushka spoke wisely and courageously when they concluded this. That Wisdom should not be lost with the sacrifice of the Iron Helms. Let our armies unite in purpose and set aside these tactics, ending the divisions they have suffered. We are missionaries as well as conquerers. The Virtuous apply what they learn.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1882-304)
* '''Notes:''' References [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_80|Judgement 80]] of the Autumn Equinox 386YE, and the long-running debate about the role of [[Army qualities#Cruel|cruel]] strategies such as those employed by the [[Iron Helms]].

===Judgement 10===
__TOC__
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City below
* '''Judgement:''' This Assembly endorses Conclave's call for the construction of the Chamber of Eyphony, a fane for Sung in Apulian, and accepts responsibility for appointment and oversight of the associated title. The League's custodianship of Spiral comes with a responsibility to make this a place of pride, equal in stature and luxury to her sister cities - the best of everything. We will build a home for beauty here.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (314-20)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Fane_of_Sung|Declaration of Concord]] passed by the Conclave at the Autumn Equinox 386YE.

===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fabio Costa de Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Taddea Ginori, for the last ten years, has investigated and collated the lost histories of the founding of our great Empire. We recognise the wisdom and vigilance of her historiography, and her courage for sharing the truth uncovered. She has been nominated with a dose of true liao from the Lepidean Library; we recognise this ten-year academic pilgrimage as an example to all.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1098-148)
* '''Notes:''' Taddea Ginori went on to [[#Judgement_3|win]] the dose of [[true liao]]

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' The remains of Leaguers are usually cremated and thrown into one of the great rivers of the Empire. It is only right that the soldiers of the Towerjacks and Wolves of War who died at the battle of Solen's Doubt should have the same opportunity - let us dam the river Doubt and finally give our soldiers the funerals they deserve. We welcome other nations' efforts to ensure their dead are treated with respect.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (306-68)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the plan to establish a dam in [[Spiral]], as discussed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#The_Way_Less_Taken|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune, and the [[382YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Leviathan_Wakes_.28Spiral.29|Battle of Solen's Doubt]] where Imperial and [[Grendel]] forces clashed as the {{Black Plateau}} awoke.

===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Herminius of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' In the east citizens have heeded the mandate to aid in the protection of our borders with the Druj. I ask that those threatened by the Grendel and the Children of Wrecks be inspired and heed that same call. We have bloodied their nose in Redoubt but the Grendel and the Children of Wrecks will return, and we must be prepared. Citizens of the southern shores I call on you to be proactive, report suspicious activity, and be prepared to fight.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1952-0)
* '''Notes:''' References to the ongoing efforts of citizens to patrol the eastern border, as discussed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Proactive_Measures|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' The Grand Inspiration is the Empire's vision of how the Way will endure, not merely "Highguards monument to Virtue" - The Highborn have already built those. The Way was born in Bastion but made concrete by our Empire, so it is our Pride and duty to continue seeing our Grand Inspiration flourish through the contributions of ALL our nations. Now is not the time to falter in fear and leave a project stumbling in its wake. Fundamentals of the Way are being questioned, yes, but to let it impede our progress shows the world that we as an Empire are not confident in our faith and shows weakness. I do not believe that this is our message, and neither should you. The Way will endure and the Grand Inspiration will shine. The Empire will make it happen.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1166-170)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing discussion around the place of the [[Construct Grand Inspiration of the Way|Grand Inspiration of the Way]], as discussed in the '''[[Pride_and_paragons#The_Grand_Inspiration|Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Valentin Severyan Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' "The Virtuous inspire others to greatness" - Troubadours of Dawn are more than mere preists since we are chroniclers and custodians of Legacy. Proud standard-bearers of Glory and Virtue done by others. It is we who carry the names of heroes gone through the Labyrinth and ensure that no honour is forgotten, no great soul left unsung. To be a Troubadour is to recognise inspiration - to witness the example one wishes to teach. For as the Way reminds us: "Embrace your past; never be ashamed of it". Therefore, let the Dawnish Assembly acknowledge Ser Katra Walker keeper of the rolls of the dead, organiser of the Festival of Remembrance, artist-calligrapher of the scrolls that render our fallen magnificent. Through her sacred art, she makes glorious legacy become eternal and guides the Virtuous steps of each new generation. Let he name be celebrated as Proud example and may others be stirred by her work to lift high the names of those who gave all for glory! We reward Ser Katra Walker with Testimony and Recognition and the highest praise.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (326-10)
* '''Notes:''' The judgement of [[rewarding]] exists specifically to reward virtuous behaviour.

===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Ser Sable "Knight of Love"
* '''Judgement:''' If there are to be tales told of the Fangs let it be of those who defended it! We the Dawnish Assembly not only condemn the actions of General Wolfborne, but propose that his name not be recorded on the Baner of Glorious dead when his time comes. If his name does live on let it be in infamy! The villain of this story, told in the tones we give de Gacher when we tell the story of Gilda Ashwine. His actions were cowardly, underhanded, unvirtuous, and against the will of the National Assembly and the Throne. Let him be an example of the antithesis of Glory and used to teach our children what Glory is not.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (274-112)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing repercussions of '''Archavion Wolfborne's''' orders as General of the Gryphon's Pride, as discussed in the '''[[By northern shores]]''' wind of war and the '''[[Start a war]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Luke
* '''Judgement:''' Cruelty tears down rather than builds, leaving behind ruin instead of legacy. Yet Cruelty often disguises itself as a necessity, whispering that prolonged suffering is the price of safety, order, or power. Cruel Armies sow dissent, alienate potential converts, extinguishes Virtue, and fractures Loyalty between nations. Cruelty is the antithesis of ruthless pragmatism - to execute an enemy is often necessary, to prolong their suffering is not. True strength lies in rejecting Cruelty and embracing Benevolence. This path is not one of weakness, but of Courage, resilient, and an unyielding commitment to Virtue, It is the hardest path - the mark of heroes and Paragons, a testament to those who dare defy the ordinary and aspire to greatness. Let us reject the Empire's use of Cruel Armies and instead choose our legacy. Let us transcend with Benevolence.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1544-426)
* '''Notes:''' Contributes to the long-running debate about the Empire's use of [[Army qualities#Cruel|cruel]] strategies, such as those employed by the [[Iron Helms]], as well as the wider discussion around Imperial attitudes to their enemies.

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Belial de Courtney Wyldrose
* '''Judgement:''' We Dawnish know the value of love and glory. However, as it stands, we only have a mechanism to prove our romantic love. Platonic love, friendship and declarations of loyalty should be recognised as being just as important. Leonel de Courtenay Wyldrose and I propose the creation of a third test, to cover just these instances. A Test of Devotion. Join me Priests of Dawn, in recognising that there is more to love in our nation than just the romantic
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-124)
* '''Notes:''' [[Dawn]] currently has three well known [[Dawn culture and customs|tests]]: the Test of Mettle, the Test of Ardour, and the Test of Resolve. The [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#The_Test_of_Ardour|Test of Ardour]] is arguably a specific part of noble [[Marriage_in_Dawn|marriage traditions]], rather than a mechanism to "prove" romantic love.

===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Elagabala
* '''Judgement:''' Education is the greatest gift. We urge the people of Urizen to aid in anchoring the Way in Asavea, so that the Asaveans might share in the Revelation as we have, and contribute to the perfection of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (214-20)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing efforts to spread the Way to Asavea, as discussed in the '''[[One of us]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus
* '''Judgement:''' As per my previous statement of principle, I once said that the Empire had plenty of enemies and we should be fighting with them instead of each other. To the people who took this mean go fight Alongside a bunch of heralds of the Mother of Wrecks, that is not what I meant you Shark-Loving, Dumb-Ass, Bumble-Fucks! I realise this statement targets a thankfully rather small percentage of the population. But still one that is larger than zero, and Wisdom says to despise folly and the fool that spreads it. In future, we should really avoid galivanting off with such cartilaginous entities who are rather fond of devouring our fellows.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1160-140)
* '''Notes:''' Appears to refer to the Imperials who supported the Children of Wrecks raid against [[Redoubt]], as discussed in the '''[[On southern sands]]''' wind of war.

===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ortenzi di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' In the matter of Exemplars and Paragons, we should take direction from Kala and weigh each system of measurement in turn, taking from each only that which is useful. The Schools of Thought regarding Paragons should not be exempt from this scrutiny. The Doctrines of Faith do not state that Exemplars and Paragons must follow only one virtue across the duration of their lives. The established Signs of the Paragon and Exemplar make no mention of single-virtue pursuit. I call upon this Assembly to support the Recognition of Exemplars and Paragons of The Way, to enable our greatest inspirations to be recognised in the fullness of their virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1001-444)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing fallout from the shock of [[Life of Vardas]], as discussed in the '''[[Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune, with particular reference to the exemplar of [[Wisdom]], the [[Urizen|Urizeni]] scholar [[Kala]].

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Melkior of Balthazar's Vineyard
* '''Judgement:''' The Highborn Assembly supports the remodelling of the Hostels of Virtue's Rest in Bastion to create a hospital for the Virtuous Wounded. Let the White City be a source of convalescence and succour for the soldiers that manifest the Empire's destiny. In this time of Crusade, we call our virtuous healers to flock to this new outlet for their talents and seek their destiny there. I say as a General, as a Healer, and as a Priest that our wars can only be won with the Way at their heart. Let our wounded heroes gaze upon the wonder of the Grand Inspiration and watch their souls soar!
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' Melkior of Balthazar's Vineyard was not a member of the Synod at this summit.

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous raise up their fellows. In Peerless Kinship, we have aided our sibling nations in Kahraman, the Barrens, Skarsind, the Mournwold, and, in the weeks to come, Therunin. This National Assembly wishes to continue to offer our nation's labours in Peerless Kinship, for however long there is need. Let all that is worthwhile be shared.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (520-22)
* '''Notes:''' References previous uses of the Highborn Assembly's power of [[Full_of_sacred_sound#A_Peerless_Kinship|Peerless Kinship]]. As discussed in the '''[[Wasp_nest#A_Peerless_Future|Wasp nest]]''' wind of fortune, a clear statement such as this may lead to an [[opportunity]] for the Highborn assembly to continue to use that power.

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Torin
* '''Judgement:''' Navarr has committed to eradicating its age-long enemy, the vallorn, in a most Ambitious and heroic act. The people of Wintermark have shown skepticism, but the decision to act has been made: Navarr prepares for war. If we abandon our allies now, we consign them and the Empire to the consequences. If we have opinions they are best heard as friends, not adversaries. We need to give voice to our Wisdom in this endeavour, and provide warriors willing to stand against the storm. Only suited do we succeed. We are three people, one nation. We are ten nations, one Empire. It is with Loyalty, Courage and Pride that the people of Wintermark support Navarr in their plan to destroy the vallorn.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (68-128)
* '''Notes:''' References [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_74|Judgement 74]] raised by '''Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark''' during the Autumn Equinox 386YE, as discussed in '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Dawn,_Wintermark_and_Urizen|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tarquinius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' Accurate information on false virtues has benefited us militarily and diplomatically as well as making it easier to oppose cultists within the Empire. Engagement with false virtue auras alone should not be prosecuted as a religious crime where the following are true: 1) The action was motivated by true virtue. 2) The action was taken in full view of the synod. 3) The false virtue was intended to be removed in reasonable time. 4) There was no preaching against doctrine. 5) There was no intent to denigrate a true virtue, exemplar, or paragon
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (814-166)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune. This judgement ultimately contributed to the magistrates declaring a mistrial, and resolving to explore the matter with an eye towards more robust guidance and possible changes to the way Condemnation, and investigation of religious crimes in general, should be undertaken.

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Frater. Pontius
* '''Judgement:''' In the ten things, it is said that the source of Highborn Pride is certainty. These are turbulent times. Confusion ravages pilgrims across the Empire. But we are Highborne, the Elder sibling. The shining example to all nations. As certainly is our foundation and our sacred duty. Never has it been said that highguard was broken, show us your <u>certainty</u>! Siblings, hold fast to the Way's fundamental truth. Trust in your national assembly. By standing resolute together, we inspire the empire. The Way is certain. The Way is stainless. The Way is True. We declare 387 to be the year of certainty. Gather all congregations and spread the light of certainty to all.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (282-110)
* '''Notes:''' References the concept of the "[[Pride#The_Ten_Things|Ten Things]]" - the idea that each of the Imperial nations can be associated with a single common idea that is often referred to as a source of [[Pride]], made popular by the [[Navarr]] writer ''Cerin of Winter Trees'' in the early years of the Empire.

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Silk Farkas
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly calls on priests, pilgrims and citizens of the Empire to attend the consecration of the Library of Hacynian. To witness the certainty of how Wisdom can benefit the Empire, and the world beyond in this time of great questioning. We welcome members of the Historical Research Department and Eilian Sweetwater whose contributions over the years have been crucial to the achievements that led to this momentous occasion, as well as others who assisted in the projects conducted at this site.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (188-28)
* '''Notes:''' References the consecration of the [[Advisor_on_the_Vallorn#The_Great_Library_of_Hacynian|Library of Hacynian]] with [[liao#True Liao|true liao]], as discussed in the '''[[Little faith]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eldrid 'Phoenix Flame'
* '''Judgement:''' Wintermark as a nation are innovative and dedicated. We strive and hold true to our values and the importance of a name. Tenure, though beneficial to those who value the position within the nation, can cause complacency to others. As such, I hereby call upon the Synod for the removal of tenure from all positions held in Wintermark and for all positions to be voted upon each year. By removing tenure, those who wish to retain titles must prove their dedication and commitment to their charge and keep the positions held for those who wish to bring Wintemark the best opportunities and prosperity.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (152-80)
* '''Notes:''' Continues the ongoing discussion about [[New_Imperial_titles#Tenure|tenure]] - a title that is held until the incumbent dies, steps down, or is [[revocation|revoked]]. Alongside revocation, the recently created [[judgement]] of [[Challenge]] has been created in an attempt to address Synod concerns about long-term appointments. Any amendment of a title to remove tenure would require the [[Imperial Senate]]; the Synod cannot enact a legal change such as this.

===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Mazo Freewalker
* '''Judgement:''' The seizure of the Fangs Mithril Mine from the Rahvin shows great disloyalty to the Empress and the Empire, and a lack of Wisdom in alienating allies. And what was gained? A mine that costs more to run than it yields. Let no more blood be shed over this. The Fangs mine should be given back to the Rahvin.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1389-410)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing situation with [[the Barrens#The Fangs|the Fangs]] and the Rahvin, as discussed in the '''[[Start a war]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Caspian i Shathra i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' We the Synod declare that a Mizer who practices Usury is unvirtuous. It is established that a Mizer, who hoards money, is unvirtuous. How much worse then the Mizer who then makes loans and charges interest on them. Seeking to sit upon an even bigger pile of unspent money. And at the same time demanding profit from their victims, without performing any work at all. Disgusting.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (782-428)
* '''Notes:''' References the common [[Prosperity#Guidance_on_the_Path|guidance]] of the path of [[Prosperity]] which urges dedicants to "despise the grasping miser".

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Merari
* '''Judgement:''' In recognition of his program to allow small Chapters in Highguard to gain experience and wealth trading bourse resources, thereby widening Prosperity of the Empire. We welcome Gideon of the Suns of Couros to the roll of benefactors.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (292-0)
* '''Notes:''' Gideon of the Suns of Couros has been added to the [[Roll of Benefactors]]

===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Vinitharov Ervig
* '''Judgement:''' Courage is not recklessness - the ongoing ceasefire with Otkodov has given the Empire's generals the strategic berth and confidence to confront their true enemies. As this ceasefire draws to a close we must confront this uncomfortable truth - we must not allow a resumption of conflict on our northern border, and must proceed with negotiations with the Thule for the good of the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing treaty discussions with the [[Thule]], as discussed in the '''[[About today]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Casey Lonestrider
* '''Judgement:''' Thornsong House is a source of immense pride, its research is a boon to the Empire. We encourage all who pass through Peakedge Stead to partake of their knowledge and share it along the trods so that should Thornsong be threatened, something of its work may continue. Sponsored by Farren Silverstreams.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (282-0)
* '''Notes:''' References [[Thornsinger#Thornsong_House|Thornsong House]], the apothecary college in [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]] and the close proximity of the [[Druj]] in [[Therunin]].

===Judgement 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Cousin Cedric
* '''Judgement:''' The Marches are treated like the shield of the empire and though our Loyalty we have pushed back against the Jotun time and time again yet that Loyalty is not repaid. For too long the Empire has left Bregasland unfortified. Fisher's Rock unrepaired and this has cost far too many Marcher lives. This stops now! The Marches will have to solve our own problems like we always do. I call on every True Marcher with Loyalty to their home to give everything they can be that coin, labour, or resources to the repair of Fisher's Rock. Because loyalty is not displayed by words, but by our deeds.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-40)
* '''Notes:''' References the long broken fortification of [[Bregasland#Fisher’s_Rock|Fisher's Rock]] and efforts to rebuild it, as most recently discussed in the '''[[Kith_and_kin#Good_Apples|Kith and kin]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Artis "The Unyielding" of Greyholm
* '''Judgement:''' People of Wintermark! I call upon your vigilance! The cultist of Blood-on-the-Snow, the icewalker Kaarina White-Eye, has been discovered to be returning to Wintermark, in Sermersuaq. Be Vigilant! And give her, her followers, and her master no hospitality! Trust our own beliefs: Be the cunning Suaq, brave Steinr, wise Kallavesi!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (270-0)
* '''Notes:''' References Kaarina White-Eye, known cultist of [[Agramant]], as discussed in the '''[[Anyone_but_you#Kaarina_White-Eye|Anyone but you]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Donald Talbot
* '''Judgement:''' "I recognise that the miners of Mournwold work the land as hard as any farmer. I recognise that they deserve to have their voices heard in our territory. I recognise that they are not expendable - they have resisted and fought on when others could not. I recognise their Pride in the land, and I do not ask that they put it aside. I ask that this Pride fuel their Loyalty to the Mournwold by helping me defend it. In Loyalty to one another, I swear to continue to recognise, aid, and fight for the miners of Mournwold for as long as I live. If I break this oath, I will go to the Wicker Man." We recognise this Oath made by Stanley of Chalkdown, General of the Tusks, upon the battlefield in Autumn 386YE. With words written by Mine-Captain Jedediah Boon, General Stanley spoke with Virtue to the Miner's Resistance of the Ore Hills, who were anointed to Loyalty but dedicated to Pride. Together, the Mournwold stands.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (74-24)
* '''Notes:''' References an oath made by '''Stanley of Chalkdown''', General of the [[Tusks]], at the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_winds_of_fortune#Major_Conjunctions|Battle of Jade Wood]].

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Veikko Bondforger
* '''Judgement:''' Do not be complacent; ever strive for excellence in that of which you are proud. Kali Keeneye, so named for being the first to spot the Thule attempting to steal the body of the Young Empress Britta, has never allowed a single act of Heroism to be enough. Always they look for the next challenge to prove their worth. They demonstrate that when one strives to embody the very best of our heroic traditions we cannot help but achieve greatness. They stood as a champion of the people of Skarsind when precious few others could. They used great cunning to retrieve Ajax from the Glade of the One, risking everything to reclaim a potent symbol of virtue. They have led numerous skirmishes to both victory and defeat, yet always with a hero's heart and uplifting all those with them. We are proud to enter them into the Chronicle of Heroes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (242-10)
* '''Notes:''' '''Kali Keeneye''' has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' We support the creation of a Fane to Arhallogen, their boons may be of great benefit in the war against the Vallorn. We must, however, be Vigilant against the threat of idolatry - we would advise that the proposed position of Huntsmaster of the Spider King be appointed by the Navarr National Assembly. Should this not be palatable to Conclave then we would ask that a Navarry Synod position be created to act as a Virtuous Counsellor to the Huntsmaster and any similar Navarr positions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (244-22)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[fane]] offered by [[Arhallogen]], as discussed in the '''[[All_my_magic_friends#A_Fane_Fit_for_the_King_(Arhallogen)|All my magic friends]]''' wind of fortune. The opportunity outlined in that wind of fortune has a requirement that the title, ''Huntsmaster of the Spider King'', be appointed by Declaration of Candidacy in the Conclave

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Earna Pathfinder
* '''Judgement:''' Navarr rejects the use of cruel tactics by Imperial armies. The Dance of Blood is in our past, not our future.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (246-84)
* '''Notes:''' References the ''Dance of Blood'', a [[Army_qualities#Cruel|cruel]] army which was destroyed by the [[Jotun]] in 245YE. It also contributes to the long-running debate about the Empire's use of [[Army qualities#Cruel|cruel]] strategies, such as those employed by the [[Iron Helms]].

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Winifred Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' We have lost Isaella's Dance, however let its sacrifice not be in vain. We ask the nation not to lose the knowledge of the Thornbound, knowledge that will be useful in our forthcoming fight against the vallorn. We should examine ways we might preserve it so we can use it again.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (302-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[Army_qualities#Thornbound|thornbound]] quality of [[Isaella's Dance]], who were destroyed by the Druj, as discussed in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war. It calls for a new Navarr army to be raised that employs the knowledge of [[Spring magic]] in service of the nation.

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ironvigil Rikke the Relentless
* '''Judgement:''' Imperial citizens, I call you to vigilance against the influences of Agramant. Cults of this malign eternal are known to move in several Imperial territories, and we know more are, as yet, undiscovered. Keep your eyes open. Keep vigilant. This eternal preys upon those who are hungry, hurt and alone. Guard each other.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1546-0)
* '''Notes:''' Urges priests to remain [[Vigilance|Vigilant]] against the ongoing machinations of the wicked [[eternal]] of the [[Realm#Winter|Winter realm]] known as [[Agramant]] (among other names).

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Konstantin Rabovich Bolotnikov
* '''Judgement:''' The idolatrous shrines in the Palace of Orieb should be destroyed.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (126-164)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the [[Apothecary_of_Orieb#Palace_of_Orieb|Palace of Orieb]]. The palace holds remnants of [[Apothecary_of_Orieb#Shrines_at_Orieb|shrines]] that were used in ceremonies by [[Druj]] [[Druj lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] to acquire [[vis]] from [[eternal|eternals]] and could, in theory, be restored.

===Judgement 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement:''' Fear blooms in Therunin, but our kin remain! Our hearths roar outside the Druj's grasp, open to any Great Forest Orc. We offer them to resettle out of danger, and protect the young, old and weak through to Hercynia, Miaren and Brocéliande. We are grateful to deep Loyalty forged in blood. May the Spear of Pines rise as saplings again.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (332-10)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war, and the losses suffered by the [[Great Forest Orcs]] warriors, under the [[Great_Forest_Orcs#Military|Spear of the Pines]], who [[Under_eastern_skies#Objective:_Braid_the_Peoples|fought alongside]] the [[Black Thorns]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynn Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' Condemning the study of false virtues undermines the foundation of the Way. Ours is a practice of investigation and learning, not of blind dogma. If such study is found unbecoming of Cardinals then let them be revoked, <u>NOT</u> condemned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (176-10)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly of Nine have dabbled with malign spiritual forces in an irresponsible way. The General Assembly continues to act with reckless disregard for the finite resources in of the Empire. While this chaos continues we, your stormcrows, urge the people of Wintermark to heed the guidance of the National Assembly over the poor example set by the rest of the Synod.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (180-34)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Vivane Knotes
* '''Judgement:''' Prosperity demands a fair day's pay for a fair day's work. There are many entirely valid reasons why that fair pay can vary, but taking advantage of the desperate and impoverished is not one as far as Prosperity is concerned. The folk in Feroz may not heed us, but the people paying those folk to build their commissions can. If you can't find a way to pay them a fair recompense, this Assembly will be watching you and will ask how you've used that money you saved to help the folk you short changed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (324-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing [[Send_for_me#Impoverished|impoverished]] nature of [[Feroz]], as discussed in the '''[[Send for me]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Chauntecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' Let's help Drycastle. Last year this assembly asked the prosperous citizens of Dawn to channel their efforts towards the grand inspiration of the way in Bastion. Efforts have now stopped, in principle we could ask again.Instead however I would suggest there is a more modest but still worthwhile endeavour close to home. Senator Aramis Du Froste successfully commissioned the rebuilding of Drycastle, an impoverished Senate has distributed some funds but only a small fraction, and no more will come. There's a lot of work to be done in the Barrens, if the nation were to support their rebuilding of Drycastle as it did with the inspiration of the way - the remaining work would be finished in two seasons. Whilst Drycastle remains in ruins after the Druj desolation, it is an affront to our Pride. The nation should help Aramis rectify this.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (288-10)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing efforts to [[Rebuild Drycastle|rebuild Drycastle]], as originally discussed in the '''[[A_glorious_victory#Drycastle|A glorious victory]]''' wind of fortune, and the ''Grand Inspiration of the Way'' introduced in the '''[[Blood will thicken]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tren Meals
* '''Judgement:''' One year ago, this assembly asked its dedicants not support senate commissions whilst the senate determines what is crime, directs the militia towards criminality, and then profits from the resultant fines - this is a gateway to corruption. Since then the senate has received record fines, and senate members regularly complain to assembly goers to try and harangue us to change course - but at no point have they changed anything about their unvirtuous windfall. Conversely, we have suggested alternates such as auction of a commission slot with proceeds to the virtue fund, or taking only the proceeds of non-religious crimes. We re-affirm our commitment to this strike till something change, and ask the senate members not to bother us again until they are willing to negotiate. And if they don't, maybe our dedicants should look to this Assembly not senators to direct their labour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-70)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing situation with regards to the way fines levied by the Magistrates contribute to the [[Imperial treasury]]. Also refers to the [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_127|mandate]] enacted by '''Luca i Taziel i Riqueza''' to encourage the Senate to redirect these monies to the virtue fund, as originally discussed in the '''[[Forwards_and_Rewards#Fines_and_Funds|Forwards and Rewards]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' For too long we have abandoned the old ways. Those lessons, hard won by our forebears, lie forgotten beneath the altar of promises of dark power. We are Varushka and ours is to bargain - yes. But we have forgotten that not every bargain must be made. Forgotten that sometimes the cost is not worth it. We must learn again the joy of forging your own Path. Before we forget what it is to truly suffer.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (282-10)

===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Thistle Welden
* '''Judgement:''' The consecration of the Library of Hacynian welcomes scholars and historians far and wide. This event is a ripe target for agents of the Whisper Gallery. We encourage vigilant citizens to remain alert for dangers that might dwell in the shadows of Hercynia for this occasion, and to seek out the malice of agents of this cult before they are able to strike.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (392-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the consecration of the [[Advisor_on_the_Vallorn#The_Great_Library_of_Hacynian|Library of Hacynian]] with true liao, as discussed in the '''[[Little faith]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Yosephus Morningson
* '''Judgement:''' There are <u>Seven</u> Virtues that guide the spirit, <u>Seven</u> that lead to Great and Inspiring deeds. Yet there are Asaveans who know but one, others who know but six, whole others claim a physical Labyrinth. We must not spread a distorted Way. We ask now for a mandate to send Priests of the Way to Asavea to proclaim the Seven Virtues, the Eight Doctrines, and the One True Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (114-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing efforts to spread the Way to Asavea, as discussed in the '''[[One of us]]''' wind of fortune, and also the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Seven|Doctrine of Seven]] which defines the seven Virtues that guide the spirit through the Labyrinth of Ages.

===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Dagonet de Gauvain
* '''Judgement:''' Don't steal from your neighbours. It's useful to the Empire to know that the Yellow Fist Adit mine can be expanded from Mareave into Jadefall in Skoura to take water from their lake. Mareave surely needs the water, and should it ever come to war with the Skourans then that's a decent strategem. But right now we're not at war with the Skourans, they're our neighbours. And Good Walder had a club for exactly the kind of person that steals from their neighbours rather than trades fairly. Don't steal from the Skourans, and the assembly can let our clubs rest easy.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (336-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the recent opportunity to construct an aqueduct in [[Mareave]], as discussed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#A_Long_Drift|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune, and also [[Good Walder]], the paragon of [[Prosperity]].

===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Mel Bleak
* '''Judgement:''' A representative of the Lepidean Library writ t'Marcher Assembly, telling us they didn't want t'do their jobs 'cos it'll make 'em sad. The Marcher Assembly agrees that if the librarians have neither the courage t'face unwelcome truths nor the vigilance t'seek out falsehoods, maybe this is a job someone else should be doin'. We appeal t'the pride o' the monasteries t'take a trip t'the heart of virtue; t' go t'Bastion and while there, do the job these librarians don't wanna. A job worth doin' is worth doin' yourself. Show the Empire how a proud Marcher does a good job.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (122-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing fallout from the shock of [[Life of Vardas]], specifically the actions of ''Mattias of Virtue's Rest'', as discussed in the '''[[Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Friar John of the Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' Marchers bury their seeds in the ground and not in their heads. We would know the story of Tom Drake, both heroic deeds and ugly truths. We hold Tom Drake to be among the greatest of our folk heroes. We would expect archivists to find a record of a life of virtue and Marcher ideals. However, we the Marcher national assembly do not lack for courage, and should the Lepidean scholars find something unsavoury then we shall face that most unwelcome truth. We may be steadfast, even stubborn in your beliefs, but the Marcher people will not be accused of being ignorant.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (118-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing fallout from the shock of [[Life of Vardas]], specifically the delay on the research of the historic [[the Marches|Marcher]] [[general]] Tom Drake, as discussed in the '''[[Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Harwyn Eternal
* '''Judgement:''' They say the Dance is ended. But we are Navarr. We know that the Dance never ends, it simply changes. Soldiers of Isaellas Dance. Warriors of the Spears of the Pines. You have fulfilled your oaths. Your have paid a price in blood and lives. You have earned your rest. But if there are still those of you who feel the drive to take up arms, whose oath of thorn and vate and vine calls them to battle once more. We implore you to prepare. People of Navarr. People of our Kin in the Great Forest. The Druj stand in the way of our progress. They defy our goals and oaths. They threaten all we care for. And they have shown us what the steps in the Great Dance still to come to entail for any war waged against them. Death. As we rebuild, as we prepare, let us not do so as Navarr and Great Forest orc apart, but do so side by side. Our spears together, in a Dance of Pines.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (324-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:''' Let us welcome our neighbours, the Great Forest Orcs who have settled in Hercynia and those beyond. Spread the word that our hearths are open to them. Let us share our stories of heroism and hear their own. At the Autumn Equinox, Elik and Savra of the Great Forest Orcs met with the Ravenseer and a small number of Kallavesi mystics, in a meeting facilitated by Navarr. I had the privilege to sit in attendance. We spoke of our swamps, of Wintermark's heroism, and of our weirwood groves. We all left with more questions than answers and it was clear we could learn more from each other if we have the courage to ask. In this storm of conflict and treachery in the wider Empire, let us seize this opportunity to forge a new bond - To build up our fellows so that we may both benefit from each other's culture and knowledge.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (266-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, and specifically a call to action for Wintermark to aid the [[Great Forest Orcs]], as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war.

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Caoimhe Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' To declare the act of agreeing to experience and study an aura for a year, without the intent or expectation to promote it, as blasphemy or heresy is an attack on the nature of the Way. It declares knowledge complete, defangs the counsel of doctrinal reform, and makes investigative theology illegal.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-36)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Caewel Novarion
* '''Judgement:''' Great deeds are eternal and some of the greatest deeds Dawn has achieved is as part of the Empire. We should aspire to Glorious acts that benefit the Empire as a whole and not just Dawn itself. I call upon the people of Dawn to undertake quests to the other nations of the Empire and discover glorious deeds we can do to benefit those nations.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (190-0)
* '''Notes:''' Discusses the nature of [[glory]].

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Aethelric the Grounded
* '''Judgement:''' Opportunities for Virtue can come at the most unexpected of moments and it is the mark of true Heroism to embrace those opportunities with both hands. During the Autumn Summit of 386YE, Urvakki Taivasbarn rose to the challenge and provided desperately needed supplies of Prismatic Ink to the Anvil Hospital. In doing so, fifty Imperial citizens were spared either death or life-changing injuries from disposing of deadly black glass. It is often not enough to be in the right place in the right time. It is crucial to be the right person as well. Urvakki was such a person and their instinctive Courage and Loyalty towards their fellow citizens is hereby acknowledged and heartily encouraged.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-0)
* '''Notes:''' It's not clear if this was intended to add Urvakki Taivasbarn to the [[Heroism#Chronicle_of_Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]] or just to recognise their deeds. The [[judgement]] of [[Rewarding]] exists as a way for the Synod to reward citizens who perform virtuous acts.

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Taddea Ginori
* '''Judgement:''' Virtue demands action. Let exemplars not be person, but an act. A choice made in virtue that we can point to as exemplary without the need to measure the entire sum of a person's life. Let us say "this was an exemplary moment of virtue and here's why."
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (585-894)
* '''Notes:''' Contributes to the debate around the role of paragons and exemplars, more widely discussed in the '''[[Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Lars Makorov
* '''Judgement:''' With the Thule and the vallorn at our borders it would be both wise and vigilant to ensure that the citadel in Volodmartz be funded as a matter of great importance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (218-0)
* '''Notes:''' Citadels are a recent innovation in the construction of [[fortification|fortifications]], as discussed in '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#All_Along_the_Watchtower|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune, which provide significant protection to a [[territory#regions|region]] rather than a [[territory]].

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Mikael Reskovich
* '''Judgement:''' Husks are travelling north into Varuhska following the defeat of the Schlacta of Rot. We must practice vigilance at this time, and ensure that all interactions and sightings are noted and reported to local priests and wardens. Be alert to all dangers, within and without.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (288-0)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the death of the Schlacta of Rot, also known as the Deadwood Knight, and the repercussions of its death, as discussed in the '''[[Mistaken_for_strangers#Death's_Reprise|Mistaken for strangers]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus "Prosperity's Forge" Korppitkotka
* '''Judgement:''' At the Summer Solstice 386YE, a herald of the eternal Estavus, at our behest, provided plans for how the Pride of Ikka's Tears could be expanded into something that the people of Wintemrark could be truly proud of. They suggested a location that a deep shaft could be dug. For Pride, Prosperity, and Ambition we want to make the most of the resources we have. But Vigilance and Wisdom demand that we understand what we can before we make that decision. To understand if there is any basis to the doubts that have been raised. We call on the icewalkers to investigate the mine, for the mediators to talk to the miners, and the skops to gather the stories, such that we may better understand whether to proceed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (196-167)
* '''Notes:''' References the opportunity identified by ''Architect Noether'' to establish a new mining shaft at the [[Pride of Ikka's Tears]], as discussed in the '''[[Metal_and_stone#Pride_of_Ikka's_Tears|Metal and stone]]''' wind of fortue

===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' The marshes of Therunin have taught us how to live where other struggles. Now strange waters rise in Madruga, and the Freeborn face what we know well. We encourage our people to offer aid to the Freeborn of Madruga, sharing our skills to help them adapt to the strange new marshes rising in their land. This is a chance to show Loyalty to our Freeborn friends, and Prosperity through Wisdom.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (296-20)
* '''Notes:''' References the strange new marshes of [[Madruga]], as discussed in the '''[[Made anew]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Alfredo Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' Loyalty to the Empire, in times of crisis, is demanded of all citizens. We face war on all our borders, a new Throne, financial crisis, and Generals who act with their own, not the Empire's, interest at heart. If we are to stand, we must unite. Loyalty cannot be compelled, but it must be expected to the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn at the request of the raising priest (52-82)

===Judgement 111===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nikolovitch Drakov
* '''Judgement:''' Askeh was rehabilitated, the Loyalty Assembly stated (J179 Sum 386) "she is no more a risk to virtue then any other Imperial citizen". In Autumn 386 Highguard declared "To senselessly torment or mutilate a fallen foe is an act of hatred and vengeance." Despite this, last summit, disputes over Askeh led to many Highborn deaths which multiple inquisitions will investigate. These divisions have led a Highborn Priest to warn the Militia "Highguard is riddled with heresy". As the Grey Pilgrims return home I ask them to ask their siblings the difficult questions and expose lies. May their actions free Highguard from the internal rancour it finds itself mired in and reports of heresy.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1016-184)
* '''Notes:''' References [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_179|Judgement 179]] raised by '''Rinnah of the Shattered Tower''' during the Summer Solstice 386YE.

===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Mael of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom knows all knowledge is incomplete - the Wisdom Assembly commend their fellows of the Sanguine Shields to gathering information on the beasts of the Grendel - this was virtuous and wise in itself. But, if that sodality should desire to continue this good work, the Empire's knowledge of our enemies' alliances with the realms is incomplete indeed. If the priests of wisdom are willing, let them go to the veterans of the Empire and gather tales of what heralds fight with the Jotun and Druj, what boons were used against our armies, what indications of their alliances were seen with the eternals. And if they cannot? We thank them nonetheless!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (204-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Ways_and_Means|Sanguine Shields]], a small sodality whose work has revealed information about the [[Dire Astacid|dire astacid]] and the [[Ghohlbrorn|ghohlbrorn]]. It urges them to continue their research, but it should be noted that the resources of the Sanguine Shields are much more limited than those available to the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]].

===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Rafe
* '''Judgement:''' We commend the courage of the heroic captains that supported the Sumaah Republic in thwarting the Asavean blockade of their ports. When a hero commits to a path they see it through to the end and the blockade is not yet broken. Let those captains who feel the call of this cause continue to courageously defend our allies in virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (298-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing efforts of [[fleet]] captains to [[Voyage#Thwart_the_Blockade|thwart the blockade]] on the [[Sumaah Republic]], as most recently discussed in the '''[[Friend_of_mine#War_and_Salt|Friend of mine]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 114===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Trencher Shoulder in the Cold
* '''Judgement:''' Wintermarkers! The need for the Way in Asavea is needed more than ever. All are implored to speak to your relatives, your friends and acquaintances to help find those in Asavea that are receptive to the words of the Way. Follow in the path of the sevenfold and the Loyalty Assembly. We all need to work together to see this achieved.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (200-16)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing efforts to spread the Way to Asavea, as discussed in the '''[[One of us]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' With the renewed focus on inspirational figures past and present, we must work to celebrate the virtuous amongst us. Inquisition can and should be a tool in doing that. We welcome the Conscience's motion that passed Senate Friday night, Winter 386YE. This lays down a new sanction - a <u>Judgement of Exhaltation</u>. Inquisitng not just to determine innocence but to laud virtue; to celebrate great deeds and great people. An exhalation that passes with a greater majority will be entered on a new roll of honour, documenting the virtuous.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1332-38)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Create_Judgement_of_Exaltation|motion]] to create a new judgement raised by '''Richard''', in her last motion as [[Conscience of the Senate]]

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Travid Longest Path
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire armies march west, leaving Therunin alone in hand of the Druj. Those who can fight and choose to - bear arms. Those who cannot should seek sanctuary amongst our neighbours and find safety in our wayhouses. Land can be reclaimed - our people cannot! Survival is not cowardice, it is loyalty to the future. We will one day seize back. Help Thornsong and House of Healing carry their work to safety, let the knowledge and legacy of Therunin outlast the Druj's grasp. We will not all what happened in Liathaven to happen here. We are the shield, the thorn and the song that will not die. You cannot abandon who you are - and we are Therunin!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (331-0)
* '''Notes:'''References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war. See also [[#Judgement 150|Judgement 150]], among others.

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo
* '''Judgement:''' We cannot reignite the grand rivalry between Oran and Siroc without Siroc. Once it is reclaimed, let us float the City of Sails upon the Bayou. Let the prideful people of Madruga lift each other up, and a new Siroc stand as testament to the Ambition of a nation rebuilding. We will rebuild Siroc.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (118-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the destruction of [[Madruga#Siroc_(Ruined)|Siroc]] and the rebuilding of [[Feroz#Oran|Oran]], as discussed in the '''[[Send_for_me#Wharfage_of_Oran|Send for me]]''' wind of fortune. [[Madruga]] is not currently under Imperial control; one region is claimed by the [[Children of Wrecks]] and three more are currently uncontrolled.

===Judgement 122===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ilai
* '''Judgement:''' Auras are tools of teaching and inspiration. It is blasphemy to teach false virtue. It is <u>not</u> blasphemy to be taught false virtue. We should condemn the fools so dedicated to lesser qualities that they create auras of malign inspiration. Those who come under their influence should be granted opportunity to turn back to virtue. <u>Condemn</u> the dedicated teachers.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (656-308)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Aramis du Froste
* '''Judgement:''' The Dawnish in the Barrens throw open our doors to refugees from Therunin. To rest in our beds, to eat at our hearths, and to prepare for battles to come. In concert; the troubadours, priests of Dawn, will descend to the Barrens-Therunin border, to offer spiritual support to refugees, and to <u>make ready</u> to march into Therunin as a tide of virtue to wash away the horrors of the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (212-74)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war. See also [[#Judgement 118|Judgement 118]].

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilant Marchers have done a grand job watching out for cultists of Blood-on-the-Snow. The cultists killed Gerraint Black - whose life was given defending our soil. Let's do him proud. The cultists are not gone yet! Keep eyes out in Upwold and Mitwold, especially near regios. Let's not leave the job half done.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (126-0)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the ongoing machinations of [[Agramant]]

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' We could not vote against ceding Feroz, even those of us who wanted to. But now, the Freeborn Assembly has the right and duty to veto the ceding of Freeborn territory. We cannot allow the hearth and homes of Segura to be lost. That is not Prosperity, that is not Pride. We will veto the ceding of Segura, should we have to.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (114-16)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the proposed treaty with the Lasambrian [[Jotun]], presented in the '''[[So far so fast]]''' wind of fortune. In the end, the [[Imperial Senate]] chose to [[386YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Lasambrian_Treaty|rejected the treaty]].

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement:''' The Ravenseer asked Mystics of Ishal to find magical means to protect Kallavesa. They returned with the plan to build a fane to Sadogua. Sadogua has shown good trust, granting full power of Dripping Echoes of the Fen to Kallavesa. Mystics, mages, Champion of the Mark, Archmage of Night, Grandmaster of Rod and Shield have agreed. Their oath requires "Big Magic" over Kallavesa, an arcane projection to encourage citizens to create delicious concoctions of food and drink. Those who represent the traditions of the Mark show great Courage and Wisdom following the example of forward-thinking of Isebrad. The stormcrows of Wintermark support the casting of this ritual.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-20)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[arcane projection]] cast on [[Kallavesa]] this season, with some details in the '''[[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Feast_For_Kallavesa_(Kallavesa)|Spring Equinox 387YE interlude]]''', as well as ongoing relations with the [[eternal]] of the [[Realm#Night|Night Realm]], [[Sadogua]], and restrictions placed on the use of [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]]. The specific matter of [[Kallavesa]] is discussed in the '''[[Patterns of fairytales#Meeting of minds|Patterns of fariytales]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Keziah of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Seeing the crisis unfolding in Therunin we, the Highborn assembly, ask the chapters of Reikos to open their doors to the Navarr and Great Forest orcs who seek safe refuge.Let us welcome those in need with a benevolent spirit. Be proud to support our neighbours.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (616-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war. See also [[#Judgement 118|Judgement 118]].

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Dolce di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' There is an opportunity to make the Great Chains of Sarvos even stronger. The Chains have protected not just Sarvos, but the League. We have held strong against the threat of the Grendel at our part of the Bay of Catazar. Let us not find ourselves lacking in vigilance, may we choose the ambitious way and choose to keep our nation strong. We ask our great citizens to donate to this great cause.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Toby Tanner
* '''Judgement:''' Loyalty does <u>not</u> hold people to loyalties against their will. The implication of Judgement 127 Autumn 386YE was incorrect. Hal Talbot might be a shit, but his Loyalty is not in question. It is now up to the farmers to make their choice, and let that be the end of it.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the revocation of '''Hal Talbot''' as Senator for Mitwold, as discussed in the '''[[Rebels_and_loyalists#Eyes_of_Loyalty|Rebels and loyalists]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:''' The loyalty assembly condemns the practice of holding people to loyalties against their will. You do not get to decide what someone else is loyal to. However we still teach to despise betrayers. If someone publicly swears a loyalty and then betrays that bond, then there might be rightfully chastised. We oppose the implication in judgement 127 Autumn 386YE that a person's loyalty can be assumed and that they can be revoked for failing to live up to that, but fully support the clarification in judgement 134 Winter 386YE. The original wording was misleading.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (432-10)
* '''Notes:''' References the revocation of '''Hal Talbot''' as Senator for Mitwold, as discussed in the '''[[Rebels_and_loyalists#Eyes_of_Loyalty|Rebels and loyalists]]''' wind of fortune. This seems to be a clear statement in support of the [[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|eyes of Loyalty]].

===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Jedediah Boon
* '''Judgement:''' Pretending there is no problem shows no Vigilance and lacks Courage. Refusing to shape the future fails Ambition, saying "nothing can change" holds little Wisdom. Loyalty is lost when a portion of our nation is ignored. Prosperity decries belittling our kin while reaping the reward of their work. Almost 3 years ago, Meri stated - on my behalf - that the Marcher Assembly knew the importance of Marchers working their land. She asked the nation to consider the plight simmering under Mournwold hillsides. The Pride Assembly agreed. We are not afraid of the dry field we know will never go away. We are not afraid of the lit match either. We know slash-and-burn well; a swiddon is a rich field for new growth. So we stand with the miners of the Mourn, recognise their Pride, and their right to a voice. It is time the Marches did as we always do; face hard questions head on, and take the difficult first step to change.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (68-30)
* '''Notes:''' References the controversial, ongoing efforts of the the miners of Mournwold to be enfranchised, as discussed in the '''[[Rebels_and_loyalists#Ore_Hills_Rebels|Rebels and loyalists]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of the League! Our siblings-in-Liberty, the Gemeinwesen, the Commonwealth, battle the slaving Princes of Jarm. We, the assembled Bishops of the League exhort you to welcome Commonwealth visitors in our cities, cafes, and salons. Citizens! Commonwealth and Empire, we each home our own wars to fight against the slavers - Plenum or Principalities - and Virtue & Common Good differ profoundly, but here and now let us build up the Tower of our Friendship on the rock that is Liberty.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (250-20)
* '''Notes:''' This appears to be a clear statement exhorting the people of the League to welcome visitors from the [[Commonwealth]], as proposed in the '''[[According_to_principle#And_Finally...|According to principle]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kasimir Vukovitch von Temeschwar
* '''Judgement:''' Cults of Agramant are spread in a web across the Empire, lauding the taste and euphoria of eating human flesh. They are not <u>all</u> blood-soaked pawns, gnawing on bones. Some are gourmet butchers or members of invite-only secret dinner clubs. They are eloquent, and they are laughing at us. The first sect in the network, the hub, is burrowed into the flesh of Holberg like a tick and using the casual attitude and jokes about "special sausage" to practice their vile ways right under our noses. We must dig this sect out like the ticks they are, with fire, blade and ruthless, relentless vigilance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (152-0)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the ongoing machinations of [[Agramant]]

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' The Druj are an enemy of everything the Navarr strive to achieve. They block our path to the vallorn, torment the septs who might walk the Way, and bring ruin to every land they touch. For as long as they endure, our Ambition is shackled, our Vigilance is tested, and our Loyalty strained. The Navarr must commit to the destruction of the Druj - not out of hatred or vengeance, but out of Virtue. Let our actions be guided by Courage and Wisdom as we close the front in the east, liberate the oppressed, and clear the way to finally end the vallorn. The road forward leads through the Druj. It's time we found the Courage to commit - and take the steps.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (278-10)

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Yrkja Riansson
* '''Judgement:''' People of Wintermark, words have always been our weapons. Imperial law has always been our law. The law is our blade, our cudgel, and our shield. Hold fast to our traditions. No blood shed for bloodshed's sake.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (236-0)

===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Laudine du Lac
* '''Judgement:''' The Earl of the Grove respects love and glory, but he does not mention the virtues. Wisdom teaches us that all knowledge is incomplete and this assembly invites the earl or his representatives to discuss the virtues and learn from each other.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (146-58)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[Legendary_beasts#Sphinxes_and_Manticores|manticore]] known as the Earl of the Groves, as discussed in the '''[[Hard_to_find#The_Earl_of_the_Groves|Hard to find]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Abreya De Lagriffe
* '''Judgement:''' A legal act and a virtuous act are distinct. An illegal act undertaken with virtuous intent, though it may be condemned by the Senate, should not be condemned by the Synod. It is the Senate's purview to prosecute those who breach the law, it is the Synod's purview to celebrate those who champion the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (112-88)
* '''Notes:''' Seems to contribute to ongoing discussions around Imperial law, including the [[judgement]] of [[Condemnation]], and the practice of [[Member_of_the_Synod#Clemency|Clemency]].

===Judgement 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Sindri
* '''Judgement:''' Gisli, named "The Provider" for his Prosperity in replenishing the warchest of Wintermark with herbs after it had run dry, is a Hero and is therefore recognised as such by this Assembly. For feeding the Thule, ending their starvation and saving countless lives. For building cultural and academic bridges with the Commonwealth to share their knowledge with the Empire. For providing substantial liao to Axos, to bring them closer to the Way. For participating in every raid against slaver nations to break the chains of slavery. We are Proud to enter Gisli, the Provider, to the Chronicle of Heroes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (222-28)
* '''Notes:''' Gisli the Provider has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]]

===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Raewyn Eternal
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of Therunin, hear your guides. The Druj have come. If you cannot fight, seek immediate refuge with our Imperial neighbours. Highguard, Urizen, and Dawn have thrown their doors open for us. If you can fight, stay and harass the druj with stealth, ambush and the arts of guerilla warfare we are so adept at. All refuge offered to Navarri is extended to our oathsworn siblings of the Great Forest Orcs, bound in blood and ink as we are.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (336-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war. See also [[#Judgement 118|Judgement 118]].

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Fredegar Bloodmouth
* '''Judgement:''' Hue and cry! They come from the deep, they prey indiscriminately, and they are very hard to kill. Citizens of the Marches, especially any living or with business on the coast of the Gullet, do not attempt to interact with the so-called "Husks of the Deep". Do not travel to the coast, do not travel along if you are on the coast, and seek the assistance of both shatter magician and a chirurgeon if you come into contact. Furthermore, this assembly directs the beaters to beat the bounds of the gullet's coast, offering assistance to all those needing it and dealing with the husks with poisons and venom if only absolutely necessary, as there is evidence they are still alive.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (118-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the strange husks sighted following the earthquake in the Gullet, as discussed in the '''[[Rumblings in the Gullet]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Rhisiart Dancewalker
* '''Judgement:''' Sacrifice is the soul, heart and blood of Navarr. We bleed, grieve and stand tall for the choices we make. But we are not the only ones who sacrifice, with the nation of Varushka losing its children for Therunin. Alderai the Fair and all warriors of the Iron Helms sacrificed all. We honour their sacrifice and welcome all who stood with us to our hearths forever. In sacrifice we grieve, in courage we remember.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (289-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the loss of the [[Iron Helms]] in [[Therunin]], as discussed in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Bartholomew Lynes
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly notes with interest the proposals and propositions of Baas Sterner of the Coalition of Stone and Struggle. Obviously the citizens of the League will make their own minds as to whether to invite the Strugglers into their cities, however for what it is worth the Assembly's position is that we should enthusiastically welcome them. Key to Prosperity is knowing the value of your own work, discussion with the Strugglers can only help in that endeavour for those labourers working on the roads. The price of labour may change or it may not, depending on the strength of the arguments at play - but the negotiation should be as well informed as possible. We would be interested to see what further proposals the Baas may present, and also would suggest that discourse between themselves and the Sodality of the Riding Tide would be of mutual benefit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the offer made by ''Baas Sterner'' to provide labour for [[Construct Curstag's Way|Curstag's Way]] in return for access to the workers of League [[business|businesses]], as discussed in the '''[[Hammers_and_boxes#Labour|Hammers and boxes]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Rhesa
* '''Judgement:''' The hostels of Virtues Rest were built as inspirational sites of pilgrimage and the white roads were built to allow people to easily travel to the hostels. Whether the hostels rest pilgrims or those fighting our wars doesn't change their inspiration, or their symbol as a beacon of the Way. We call to the people to remind them that structures are both functional and inspirational and can support the rest and recovery of both body and soul.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (428-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[Remodel Virtue's Rest|remodelling]] of [[Bastion#Virtue's_Rest|Virtue's Rest]], as discussed in the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#Salvation_of_Souls|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Suns of Couros
* '''Judgement:''' Prepare for malice, yet thwart malice before it strikes against you. Highborn! The Druj are once again at our borders. We must defend the Reikos-Therunin border and make ready to march as a tide of virtue to wash away the horrors of the Druj. Remember exile!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (438-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Cynerik
* '''Judgement:''' The Wintemark Assembly supports Cormack Dun in his ambition to found a school for artisans, named "Runesmiths Caution". We call upon the faithful to seek opportunities that the school may further build up our artisans and find better ways to work so that they may advance the Runesmiths Law. Wayland "Runesmiths Caution" was an artisan who broke his oath, sharing the secrets of Runesmiths law outside the nation. The school will teach winterfolk runelore and the story of Wayland as a cautionary tale.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (230-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the powerful ''geas'' which binds those who study [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith's_Law|Runesmith's Law]]

===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Cadoc Thornwatch
* '''Judgement:''' The Navarr National Assembly recognises the unease cause by the Last Battle wayhouse and the concern of the Karass. We encourage Navarr who visit or pass through the Bleaks to make clear - by action and word - that this wayhouse stands against the Druj, not the Karass. Trade fairly, build bridges. The Last Battle was built to fight the vallorn and protect the east. Let all who dwell nearby know this is our purpose.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (282-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the wayhouse built in [[The Barrens#The Bleaks|the Bleaks]] and the response of the Karass sept, as discussed in the '''[[Hard_to_find#Who_Would_Dare_To_Go|Hard to find]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Mikal the Seeker
* '''Judgement:''' Stormcrows of Wintermark. The Hero SAAVI, thrice-named SHATTERSPEAR, QUIVERBUTT, and HEROES' CHAMPION should be recognised for her great heroic deeds in prusance of the virtues and the collective Pride of Wintermark. Fierce though she was in battle, and wise though she was a stormcrow to her hall, it is her initiating of the Chronicle of Heroes, and her reverence to tending the rites of the Tree of Names that bear exceptional recognition. Let our grandchildren's grandchildren be as inspired by SAAVI as we are, let her name be entered in the CHRONICLE OF HEROES.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)
* '''Notes:''' Adding a name to the [[Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]] requires a greater majority.

===Judgement 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Damascius
* '''Judgement:''' Let the call ring clear from the mountains - Morrow, Urizen, throw open the spires and citadels to our siblings of Therunin. Healers, priests, mages - tend our Navarr and Great Forest Orc comrades. Let them rest, recover, join us at the borders and wait. Therunin is not abandoned. In strength, in Virtue, in time, we will return.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (172-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Arianwen Thornfield
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of Therunin, we are not accepting defeat but adapting our strategy and will try anew when the time is right. I call upon fellow courage priests to travel to the refugees on the borders to bolster their courage against the fear and hatred so readily wielded by the Druj. In strength, in virtue, and in time, we will return.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (120-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Delara i Fijadoz
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly of the Way recognise the Recogniser Sect of the Printers Guild and thank them for taking up the missed opportunity to create the Mistress of Monuments for the betterment of the Empire, and recognise them for their prosperity in funding the position.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (110-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[Mistress of Monuments]], a title that can commission [[edifice|edifices]] smaller than ten wains, originally suggested in the '''[[Forwards_and_Rewards#Small_Monuments|Forwards and Rewards]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Hildelith Kaukosdottir
* '''Judgement:''' The Loyalty Assembly recognise Veikko Bondforger as our <u>Oathkeeper</u>. They are asked to record oaths sworn into the Book of Oaths and keep those who swear these oaths to their word.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (232-0)
* '''Notes:''' Veikko Bondforger is a former Cardinal of Loyalty

===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Gwenllain Heart's End
* '''Judgement:''' Guides of Navarr. Urizen, Dawn and Highguard have thrown open their doors to the Great Forest orc and Navarr reguees of Therunin. Go to our displaced peoples, bolster their spirits and show them their Dance is not over! Tend their souls and in Virtue drive out the Fear and Hatred to Druj so readily offer. In strength, in virtue, and in time, we <u>WILL</u> RETURN.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (374-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing conquest of Therunin by the Druj, as discussed most recently in the '''[[Under eastern skies]]''' wind of war

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lepidina
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire is considering driving a large herd of cattle to Mareave. If they do so it will pass through Spiral not this season, but next. In vigilance, we should consider our experiences with livestock in the vicinity of the Black Plateau to anticipate problems and propose solutions before they get there.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (168-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the potential danger of leading cattle through the {{Black Plateau]] as part of a cattle drive, as discussed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#A_Long_Drive|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Bryce the Hare
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilance demands we seek to eliminate threats before they strike and disregard those that choose not to take action. Cultists of Agramant mock and deride the Empire's treatment of cannibalism, they feel empowered to act without fear because we continue to endorse it. The Vigilance Assembly urges the Senate to make cannibalism illegal, and let the virtue of its practitioners be challenged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (279-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing machinations of [[Agramant]]

===Judgement 170===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aristeia Starchaser
* '''Judgement:''' The stars, their tuplas, and associated cultists have been, over the past two years, increasingly able to affect the souls of those who interact with the stars - willingly or not. I urge all priests to be like starlight and use the ceremony of insight to check the souls of those who might have been affected by star interactions. The Wanderer has taken souls, preventing them from entering the Labyrinth. An Urizen soul has had a strength five spirit on it following a transformation involving the Lock and the Door combined. And this summit, Claw cultists have been able to leave the Mark of the Claw on those they interacted with. Be Vigilant astronomancers. Include your priests as you will need them now.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (858-0)
* '''Notes:''' A discussion of the magical tradition of [[Astronomancy]], and potential spiritual threats related to it.

===Judgement 172===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:''' People of Redoubt, prepare for storms. The cultists of Siakha bring blood and lightning; we must hold against them. Secure your spires, citadels, and temples. If you need to leave, your fellows in Zenith, Morrow, and Spiral. Be Vigilant, be Proud, be Loyal.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (230-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the storms unleashed by the Children of Wrecks on [[Redoubt]], as alluded to in the '''[[387YE_Spring_Equinox_interlude#Foam_and_Floods_(Redoubt)|Spring Equinox 387YE]]''' interlude

===Judgement 173===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Asier i Elia i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' Freeborn of Kahraman and Segura, the Lasambrians are at our borders: all knowledge is incomplete and yet we must act, ready to respond to what may be. Be prepared, be vigilant, cleave to your Courage and take strength from the Loyalty that binds us as a people, and indeed an Empire, together!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (64-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the Lasambrians, who have engaged in ongoing treaty negotiations with the Empire, as most recently discussed in the '''[[So far so fast]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 178===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Slavomira Koslov
* '''Judgement:''' We call to action priests to assist in clearing the haunted Spires of Solokha in Axos with the aims of aiding our ally and fostering relations in virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the efforts to cleanse the ruins of Solokha, as discussed in the '''[[It_never_happened#Cleansing_the_Ruins|It never happened]]''' wind of fortune. As the mandate - [[#Judgement_25|Judgement 25]] - did not achieve a greater majority, it is not possible for Varushkan congregation owners to contribute towards cleansing the ruins directly.

===Judgement 181===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Creighton Blackewater
* '''Judgement:''' We, the Marcher Assembly, exalt the virtue of Gerraint Black, Guardian of the Prosperity of Afal. He courageously stood against overwhelming numbers of Agramant cultists, protected the Copse of the Bone Birch regio, and saved the Ashill militia. The devastating strength of his Summer mastery consumed both him and the attackers in a ball of Summer fire, leaving only his staff behind. Gerraint Black we exalt thee.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-0)

===Judgement 182===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Perunovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement:''' After a warning from Wintermark that animals are attacking citizens and that this madness may spread to Varushka, we call upon the inspiration of Zoria to use our wisdom to ask what the right question is and whether this has happened before.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (106-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing peculiarity of beasts attacking, as discussed in the '''[[Patterns_of_fairytales#Animal_Magic?|Patterns of fairytales]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 184===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Kennett the Mummer
* '''Judgement:''' Hue and cry! Hue and cry! There is a cult at large across the Empire dedicated to the constellation of the Claw. Their actions rouse animals to attack, so watch your livestock. Their symbol is claw marks and blood drops. Please refer developments in this case to Duncan of Ashill. Kennett is busy with other important matters.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (106-0)
* '''Notes:''' Assigns the ongoing peculiarity of beasts attacking, as discussed in the '''[[Patterns_of_fairytales#Animal_Magic?|Patterns of fairytales]]''' wind of fortune, to a cult of [[the Claw]]

===Judgement 189===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilance demands we be alert to all dangers; within and without. The Archmage of Spring has reported that Siakha will attack Necropolis next season. In Vigilance we must mobilise to defend our land and protect our people from the Children of Wrecks. Do not fear to act; only be ashamed by inaction.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (506-0)
* '''Notes:''' Raises a warning that the Children of Wrecks will attack [[Necropolis]]

===Judgement 190===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hembeneth i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Brass Coast National Assembly believe our senatorial elections could be made more prosperous if they were adjusted to ensure that all proffered bids were considered spent by the nation and unreturnable. The intended effect of this would be; that more people would find the elections, and the pursuit of their ambitions, more accessible and the full proceeds of the elections to bolster the coast.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (74-8)
* '''Notes:''' Currently, only the winning bids in the [[The_Brass_Coast_leadership#Leading_a_territory|elections]] for Freeborn Senators are collected and passed into the care of [[Brass Coast egregore|Dust, Flame, and Glass]]

===Judgement 191===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lia Adelaar
* '''Judgement:''' Road tolls simply and cleverly support Navarr Ambitions against the vallorn. Our League Pride calls us to follow - through on our great roads. Our Prosperity leads us to call our sister nations to join us or find contributions of equivalent magnitude.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (112-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the recent suggestion of applying tolls to various roads across the Empire, as discussed in the '''[[The_war_of_thorns_and_flowers#For_Whom_The_Road_Tolls|The war of thorns and flowers]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 192===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tongs Brossa de Tassato Regario
* '''Judgement:''' Sarvos be alert! <u>Maurizia Spada di Sarvos</u> is a traitor allied with the <u>Children of Wrecks</u>. She has plans to <u>raid and plunder</u> Sarvos. Our Ambition for the strength of Sarvos demands that you protect your city!!!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (106-0)
* '''Notes:''' ''Maurizia Spada di Sarvos'' is one of the known traitors who joined the Children of Wrecks and survived the Battle of Visten Head, as discussed in the '''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|On southern sands]]'''

===Judgement 194===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Anatloij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of the northwest, the north, and the west. The constellation of the Claw is inciting wild animals to unnatural violence. Be vigilant! Do not wander thoughtlessly through natural landscapes you have previously known to be safe.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (228-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing peculiarity of beasts attacking, as discussed in the '''[[Patterns_of_fairytales#Animal_Magic?|Patterns of fairytales]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 196===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Council of Nine directs the Silent Bell to investigate Imperial farms, forests, or mana sites touched by the malign influence of Yaw'nagrah and to report on the Imperial citizens who have taken these illegal boons in the following nations: Marches, Varushka, Urizen, and Navarr
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (9-0)
* '''Notes:''' Instructs the Silent Bell to seek out those who have accepted the boons of [[Yaw'nagrah]], as discussed in the [[Gifts_of_a_green_mother#Law_Amid_Chaos|Gifts of a green mother]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Viviane Barossa
* '''Judgement:''' I carry a hallow of understanding, to try being Axos to the Way, one tree at a time. In penance for my lack of vigilance, as my Assembly requires and requests, I commit to supporting the call to guard and watch the priests who exorcise Solokha. I do this with my hands in the fire. I pay the price for my ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (9-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 199===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of the League! Two hundred and fifty years have passed since Holberg joined the Empire - let us celebrate! We announce a grand celebration in Holberg, culminating in a parade displaying many artefacts of history loaned by the Printer's Guild Museum of Wonders, including the Ring of Holberg.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (220-0)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the 250 year celebration of [[Holberg]] joining the Empire, which is also discussed in several recent winds of fortune.

===Judgement 200===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Sian Eternal
* '''Judgement:''' <u>Citizens be alert!</u> The traitor Ioan Bloodstride is allied with the children of wrecks, and will be coming to wreck and plunder our homes. Protect our people! Be vigilant against this threat!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (300-0)
* '''Notes:''' ''Ioan Bloodstride'' is one of the known traitors who joined the Children of Wrecks and survived the Battle of Visten Head, as discussed in the '''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|On southern sands]]'''

===Judgement 201===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Vesna Borkovna Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' The Grand Inspiration of the Way remains the greatest opportunity to spread the Way of Virtue beyond our borders, by inspiring pilgrims from all over the world. The Assembly of Nine applauds the efforts of those who have contributed so far, and encourages further commitment wherever possible. The Way uplifts us all. Let us uplift the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (6-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing discussion around the place of the [[Construct Grand Inspiration of the Way|Grand Inspiration of the Way]], as discussed in the '''[[Pride_and_paragons#The_Grand_Inspiration|Pride and paragons]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 202===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Silas of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' I, Silas of the Cenotaph, in according to my oath to the Wisdom Assembly, with <u>support</u> from my Assembly carried a false hallowing to Peace. Due to this we now know Peace is not Apathy, in the defence of this our Way we can now, by asking the right question, shore up our defence.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (6-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the ongoing crisis of faith around cardinals swearing an oath to carry an item hallowed with an aura of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|Peace]], as discussed in the '''[[A little understanding]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 203===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Felix Saltspire
* '''Judgement:''' Vigilance demands we be alert to all dangers; within and without. The Archmage of Spring has reported that Siakha will attack Necropolis next season. In Vigilance we must mobilise to defend our land and protect our people from the Children of Wrecks.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (178-0)
* '''Notes:''' Raises a warning that the Children of Wrecks will attack [[Necropolis]]

===Judgement 204===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Gralka
* '''Judgement:''' Bleak was the battle that fought through the valley as a vivid black sunset cast the plateau's shadow over us all. So many lost, that have remained silent, still, dead. Names lost in the malaise of Solen's Doubt and war. To who you would build in this place and wipe clean wars blood face. We the Imperial Orc National Assembly ask that you the builders let us send our bonetenders to reclaim the remains of our fallen and chart their names or marker sin the bricks of the dam.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (56-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the plan to establish a dam in [[Spiral]], as discussed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#The_Way_Less_Taken|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 206===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Miroslav Temnavoda
* '''Judgement:''' Alert! The traitor Zavetta Voglanova is allied with the Children of Wrecks, and will be bringing storm and plunder to our lands. We are stronger than any traitor - we will defend our homes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (338-0)
* '''Notes:''' '' Zavetta Voglavnova'' is one of the known traitors who joined the Children of Wrecks and survived the Battle of Visten Head, as discussed in the '''[[On_southern_sands#Objective:_Eliminate_the_traitors|On southern sands]]'''

===Judgement 207===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Nisha Strascovich
* '''Judgement:''' We, the Varushkan Assembly, support the creation of a reservoir in Spiral on the graves of fallen Varushkan soldiers. We request that their deeds be recognised and wardings placed on any dams involved.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (338-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the plan to establish a dam in [[Spiral]], as discussed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#The_Way_Less_Taken|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune

===Judgement 208===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti
* '''Judgement:''' Varushkan Vigilance prevails. We have worked our magics and can confirm that Empress Vesna has no bonds, loyalties or association with the eternal known as Blood on Snow.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (338-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to ongoing discussions of the influence of [[Agramant]] within the Empire, and accusations levied at [[the Throne]].

==Mandate==
Nine [[mandate|mandates]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias
* '''Judgement:''' Major Benson knew that the reward for a good job is more work, and his inspiration teaches us to be alert to danger before it strikes. We send Lochias of the Scarlet Guard with 25 doses of liao to urge people to learn more about the sects of Axos and the ruins of Solokha
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (384-0)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth
* '''Judgement:''' These souls trapped in Solokha are an anathema to the Way and should be free to traverse the labyrinth and be reborn. We send Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth with 25 doses of liao to encourage Imperial priests to support the exorcists of Axos in cleansing the haunted ruin of its taint. The need to help those trapped souls to reach the Labyrinth outweighs the risks of cooperating with the blasphemous and heretical priests of Axos.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1384-78)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 43|Judgement 43]]

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Estella Lucati
* '''Judgement:''' Nothing great is without cost. We send Estella Lucati with a dose of true liao to consecrate the Atrium of Golden Light in the Capodomus Cathedral to Ambition. No price is too high to realise our dreams.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1194-114)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Way tells us that no-one may demand your loyalty and obedience to their rule. We send Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra with 25 doses of liao to teach the Asaveans to abandon those who have done nothing to deserve their Loyalty
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (364-32)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is not always knowing the answer. We send Nathair Autumngale with a dose of true liao to consecrate the Great Library of Hacynian to Wisdom. Let us embrace the Silence and the Song and search for the right question in the space between Night and Day.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1455-36)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' These souls trapped in Solokha are an anathema to the Way and should be free to traverse the labyrinth and be reborn. We send Neala Blackhawk with 25 doses of liao to encourage Imperial priests to support the exorcists of Axos in cleansing the haunted ruin of its taint. The need to help those trapped souls to reach the Labyrinth outweighs the risks of cooperating with the blasphemous and heretical priests of Axos.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn at request of raising priest (432-510)
* '''Notes:''' This mandate was in competition with [[#Judgement 25|Judgement 25]]

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ira Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' Berechiah saw the wickedness that lurked like a canker in beating hearts. His inspiration teaches us that the façade of righteousness is often cracked. We send Ira Ashes Blaze with 25 doses of liao to watch those travelling to Solokha and make a full accounting of them so that we might uncover those who embrace wickedness.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (312-38)
* '''Enacted:'''

===Judgement 171===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Asteria of Ocean Kite’s Roost
* '''Judgement:''' We prepare for malice, but must always thwart malice before it strikes against you. We send Asteria of Ocean Kite’s Roost with 25 liao to Astolat to urge all vigilant citizens to seek out threats and drag them into the light. Of particular note are cults of Blood on Snow
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (250-0)
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' As detailed in the '''[[Knocking_on_every_door#Shine_a_Light|Knocking on every door]]''' wind of fortune, this encourages the Vigilant to travel to Astolat and work with pilgrims there to root out threats.

===Judgement 205===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Ashborn Atla
* '''Judgement:''' Our people know the worth of all things. This assembly sends Ashborn Atla with 25 doses if liao to urge the Sunstorm sept to find a way to help in Feroz. Let us show them what this help was worth to us and rebuild stronger.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}}
* '''Enacted:'''
* '''Notes:''' Asks the [[Sunstorm]] sept to offer aid in [[Feroz]], rather than [[Mareave]], as detailed in the '''[[Million_miles_of_water#A_New_Qanat|Million miles of water]]''' wind of fortune.

==Writ of Excommunication==
One [[Writ of Excommunication]] was presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Claude Deeds
* '''Judgement:''' Archavion Wolfborn's deeds are sickening and abhorrent - he must face the Writ of Excommunication, Synod's most severe judgement. The General illegally ordered the mass murder of all Rahvin Orcs who defended their home, The Fangs. Rahvin are Foreigners, staunch enemies of the Druj: former slaves, who Courageously freed themselves. Archavion spat in Synod's face: his National Assembly voted the Rahvin should not be attacked. He claims they were a grave threat. This is a lie, and he knows it. His orders reek of False Virtues. For Fear and Hatred he urged an entire army on to vile acts in the Barrens. It is an outrage to our Faith. He has done the Druj's work for them. Synod cannot permit a liar corrupted by Fear and Hatred to order our soldiers to murder the Courageous, then call himself Vigilant to cover his tracks. Pass this Writ, stripping him of the right to bear any Imperial title. Let he who has endangered so many now be Vigilant for his own soul.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2270-224)

==Revocation==
Six [[revocation|revocations]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Tegwen Berinore
* '''Judgement:''' Dawn will not stand with a general that, in our Emperor's words, turned to lawlessness because he lacked the skill to execute his vision any other way. He has hurt our nation in his weakness. The Dawnish Assembly revokes Archavion Wolfborne from General of the Gryphon's Pride for leading his army against the Rahvin, an orc sept of the Barrens, foreigners protected under and afforded the benefits of Imperial law.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (316-20)

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Callista of the Dark Shard
* '''Judgement:''' Viviane Barossa de Coeurdefer, Cardinal of Ambition, willingly and knowingly took upon herself a hallowed object of the false virtue of "understanding" (also known as peace). They refuse to set this aside for a year. A cardinal is an example of Virtue to, and for, the Empire, and as such Viviane has shown themself to set a dangerous example, that we should condemn and revoke.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (812-288)
* '''Notes:''' Viviane Barossa de Coeurdefer resigned before this judgement closed

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Emmeline Weaver
* '''Judgement:''' Zoran Orzel fucked up. Whether by Malice, Lies, Folly, or Carelessness, General Zoran De Orzel of Dawn insisted to the Military Council that the Druj would retreat from Therunin this season, as has been attested by multiple Generals. This information was directly in contradiction to that given to Zoran by the Imperial Seer Jorma Steelhail, who made clear to Zoran that the Druj intended to press their attack. This failure of Vigilance has cost the Empire two loyal armies, the Iron Helms and Isaella's Dance, and I call upon the General Assembly to Revoke Zoran De Orzel before he can fuck up any more campaigns.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1222-328)

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kazimir Syrota Molchan
* '''Judgement:''' Captain Bernard Dugdale needs to be removed as Imperial Spymaster. Evidence should be presented rather than baseless accusations made. Produce the evidence, step down, or be removed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1162-125)

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Isaellla Dancewalker
* '''Judgement:''' Rhisiart Dancewalker has served our nation for many years. Now it is his time to find a new place in the Dance. By his own admission his oaths are in conflict and his Loyalties are divided, weighing on his soul. The burden of leadership is one we as Navarr gift to our chosen. We choose who we follow. Now, for his sake, out of Loyalty and love, we must choose not to follow Rhisiart and free him. Let the black Thorns find a new General, and him virtue anew.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (136-172)

===Judgement 180===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Tulva
* '''Judgement:''' We revoke MemoryKeeper Ikhan's position as Open Hand of the Ancestors. This title was appointed without the input of the majority of our Assembly. Let us correct this.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (48-0)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement has been interpreted as revoking MemoryKeeper Ikahn from the title of [[Guide to the Lost]]

==Inquisition==
Twenty one [[inquisition|inquistions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Warsmith the Iron Way
* '''Judgement:''' I call Lodwick Hardin of Hyrst Hall to Inquisition. Last season they sent their military unit to the Barrens to support the traitor General Archavion Wolfborne in an attempt to slaughter the Rahvin. Now they must answer why. The Inquisition will take place at The Fellowship of the Broken Willow's camp in Wintermark at 10:00pm on Friday
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (56-0)

===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' As Imperial Inquisitor, I call Archavion Wolfborne to defend his actions as General of the Gryphon's Pride. 5pm Saturday. Orzel camp.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Imperial Inquisitor]]

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' Dag Kinad. You have served as my proxy for the duration of the year and performed your first inquisition. Now we shall test what you have learned. Saturday at 12 noon. Varushkan Hearth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Wisdom]]

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' I call to inquisition Farrenthar Shattersong, former general of the Quiet Step, on the events leading to the Throne being their replacement. This will be held at 5pm, Saturday of this summit, at either Ashwood Camp or a suitable location of their choosing. I seek to bring clarity in the face of rumour, and ensure that action is taken that may be needed.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (292-0)

===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Halkyon of the Myriad Stream
* '''Judgement:''' Letho Southshore took a key role in the reckoning between Urizen and the League after the reassignment of Spiral. I call him to inquisition so that the truth of this matter may be illuminated and the virtue of his actions accounted for.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (198-0)

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Vasili, Pride of Ossium
* '''Judgement:''' I call Empress Vesna to Inquisition at 11am on Saturday of the Winter Summit in the Varuhskan National tent. We will discuss their first year on the throne, their plans, their actions, and their plans for the next year. This time and place has been agreed in advance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (715-38)

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Darian Numbers
* '''Judgement:''' Call Little Lorenzo to inquisition to discuss his claims of Prosperity at 12:00 Saturday in the Crimson Reapers camp.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (138-0)

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I call Urvakki of Sigehold Hall to inquisition at Sigehold at 17:00 Saturday of the Winter summit. This is to discuss the matter of their actions and virtues of the past, their skein now and moving forward to reknit as they move.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (106-0)

===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Vauraus "Prosperity's Forge" Korppitkotka
* '''Judgement:''' I call Giuseppe Sanguineo von Temeschwar, Senator for Temeschwar, to inquisition at 8pm on the Saturday of the Winter Solstice 386YE in the Forge regarding their works in Temeschwar, their debts and taking 200 thrones from the Senate for a commission that they did not have. Bring your ledger.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]]

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' I call Gaelen Embercast to inquisition, to discuss his actions in leading his assembly. 11am, Sunday, the Hub
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (644-22)

===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:''' I Kasjay call Halkyon to inquisition on Saturday Spring 387 at 12:00 in the camp of the Dark Shard. This is to assess their personal virtue and their virtue founding the Spiral Council
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (168-0)

===Judgement 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Adelorna Ordraig
* '''Judgement:''' Faith Felbourne has been found through the power of insight to possess a Heretical Aura of Freedom. I thereby call her to inquisition, the timing of which yet to be agreed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (102-12)

===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Earl of Fools
* '''Judgement:''' In matters of Rumour against the Throne, THE EARL OF FOOLS invites DUGDALE, IMPERIAL SPYMASTER, to inquisition in the GLORY SQUARE at 10pm Saturday.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (668-10)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:''' As Arcane Inquisitor, I call Arcane Envoy Bella Vicente to Inquisition at 2pm Saturday of the Spring Equinox, at the Vicente tent.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Arcane Inquisitor]]

===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Maja Świętosława Przewałski
* '''Judgement:''' Troyan Dabroceich Strascovitch is called to inquisition at 11am Saturday of the Spring summit to discuss their actions, visions, and ambitions as senator of Miekarova
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (280-0)

===Judgement 176===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Martin Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' Alastair of Esther's Sanctum is called to inquisition at 1:30PM Sunday, at the Hub. His hasty condemnation without inquisition caused much trouble and it may have been averted with a timely inquisition. We have agreed an ambition to see malign auras dealt with quickly and cleanly. Let us shine the lamp of vigilance on the past, and guide our way to doing better with the next threat.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (912-40)

===Judgement 185===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I call Kaisa Determination of Ice to inquisition Saturday 13:00 outside Military Council tent Spring 387. This is to discuss matters of personal courage and not concerning their military matters at this time.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]]

===Judgement 193===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Heilyn Bronwen's Rest
* '''Judgement:''' As Basilisk of the Bourse, I call Bartimeus to inquisition at the Zenith Ascendant camp, 11am Sunday of this summit, as previously arranged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Basilisk of the Bourse]]

===Judgement 210===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' As Imperial Magus, <u>Æsa Sigeling</u> has for three years been a major mover in the great bodies of state. She is also an Ambition dedicant. In that time, Æsa has never been inquisited. I call Æsa to inquisition at a time and place to be arranged, to examine her virtue and actions within that position.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Ambition]]

===Judgement 211===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian
* '''Judgement:''' As Inquisitor of the Way I call Alcuin of Auric Horizon to Inquisition for preaching the False Virtues of Anarchy and Peace. At a time and place to be decided at the gathering of Anvil for Spring 387YE
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of the Way]]

===Judgement 212===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' The founding of the Vallorn Guard is a triumph for our Empire. However, its virtue must be unquestionable. By asking its founding members to swear an oath of which they had no prior knowledge, Percival Summersong risked compelling their loyalty. I call Percival to Inquisition at the coming Spring summit, to determine whether this was a lapse in judgement or a lapse in Virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Loyalty]]

==Sanction==
Nineteen [[sanction|sanctions]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 22===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Leliel, Daughter of Armisael
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Luke's past life vision, and the associated experimental theology tied to it has been investigated. It has been determined that the strong Loyalty dedication that spontaneously manifested was more closely connected to the experiment. This was exacerbated by Luke's then-inexperience in Virtue. It would be best for Luke if this dedication was removed, and he served the following penance; to serve in each of the Virtue Assemblies for a season, until he can express on Virtue as his own.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (178-64)
* '''Notes:''' Whilst such a penance might be willingly taken on by Luke, there is no legal requirement for him to do so.

===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Following inquisition, this Assembly is satisfied that Iosef of Phoenix Reach has demonstrated four of the signs of the Exemplar: Legacy, Pilgrimage, Benevolence, Inspiration. The other signs are either Unproven or Unprovable at the current time. It is therefore a matter for the Virtue Assemblies to Recognise his achievements. (This judgement is an escalation of Judgement 168 at the Autumn Equinox 386. Notes from that Inquisition are available on request.)
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (194-58)

===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Bakar: Your wisdom in choosing property over people with regards to the flooding of Madruga was called into question. You recognise you could have done more to seek out the Archmages of Night and Spring. Equally, you acted on the information you had to hand, having discussed it at length with your nation. You acknowledge you have more to learn. Given the endorsement of Conclave - I vindicate you.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (166-0)

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' You stand accused of Heresy, You stand accused of Blasphemy. You stand accused of being a corruption at the heart of the Synod. Silas of the Cenotaph - I vindicate you. You act in purest Wisdom. You believe yourself to be the only one who should be burdened with this responsibility - like a general forges the path to arm the Synod with knowledge. The lantern burns bright in you. You willingly lay your head upon the block - handing the sword to those around you. You are no fool, afraid of consequences. You will learn, and through your education you will enrich us all. Misstep and I will send your spirit to the labyrinth myself.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (148-0)

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Thane Elgar Angusson's Inqusition revealed that while he demonstrates Loyalty and Prosperity to his hall, he has been careless with his words and actions. He has not upheld sworn agreements to meet with other halls and fight alongside them. He lacked Vigilance, neglecting to forge bonds with priests who could provide guidance. As penance, I charge Elgar with the following: 1) forge bonds with priests, one of Loyalty and one of Vigilance and seek guidance to deepen his understanding and application of the virtues 2) Tell the Wintermark Captains how they can make agreements with Kraken's Vanguard to fight alongside them to avoid future misunderstandings. I will check with him at the Summer Equinox to see what he has learnt.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (166-0)

===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Warsmith the Iron Way
* '''Judgement - Castigation:''' Lodwick Hardin sent his soldiers to kill Rahvin and steal their mine. Not only did he show no virtue in this action, acting in fear and against Prosperity, but he showed very little understanding of the Virtues throughout the inquisition. There is no penance I could offer this man to help him beside going to the academy for a few years. It is time for the labyrinth to test his soul. May his next life be more virtuous. That won't be hard.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)

===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' At the Autumn Equinox I inquisited Velasco i Guerra regarding the Asavea vote. I heard a tale of a new senator, who had insufficient time to consider, falling back on his lengthy experience as a general. There was a wisdom there - although a lack of understanding of the Way more generally. As is so often the case between the houses of state, I charge Velasco to speak to his priests more. I understand this is already his intention.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (98-10)

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Following inquisition I do not hold that the actions of INISKA ASHWOOD rise to the crimes of Blasphemy or Heresy. That their acceptance of the Hallowed Aura of the False Virtue of Peace was motivated not by an intent to denigrate the Way, but a Wise desire for deeper understanding of the formation of the Way and a Loyal push to improve the Empire. The failing was in not making those Virtuous Reasons clear as such I task Iniska to create and distribute a clear and in-depth publication outlining their reasoning for taking the Aura and an idea of what they have and could learn.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (94-46)

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae of House du Froste
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Last summit I carried out an inquisition of Lady Aisla Tamerlain at the behest of the late Lady Cecelia de Gauvin. The lady Aisla has time and again shared the tales of quieter courage in our nation, tales of love and glory that would have otherwise gone untold. In her own words "Art is as keen a weapon in our arsenal as any other" and her contributions to the glorious Richilde festival of the arts and her tenure as Voice of the Twin Roses have been testament to this. I move to vindicate Lady Ailsa for the virtuous work she has done for this nation and the Empire as a whole as it deserves to be recognised.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (184-0)

===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' The assembly has heard Viviane's inquisition and her reasoning. While her original intentions in taking the hallow were not heretical, there were clear and catastrophic failures of vigilance. As penance she will: Make a statement in the Assembly of Nine denouncing "Peace". Join the vigilance assembly in ensuring the virtue of Imperial priests travelling to Axou. Step down as Cardinal of Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (214-16)

===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Syene
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Following the inquisition of General Sychar of Ebon's Hall, the inquisitee has been found vindicated of fault on the events during the battle at the Autumn Equinox 386YE
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (410-14)

===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Neri
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' After the inquisition of Lex of Ebon's Hall, Lex has been found to be vindicated for his actions at the last summit
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (430-38)

===Judgement 177===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Gallows Koslov
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' The Priests of the Grimhold Guard recognise the virtuous actions of Kazimir. Through his Loyalty and Prosperity he saved many virtuous souls.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (118-0)

===Judgement 179===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Vasili, Pride of Ossium
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Following Inquisition of Empress Vesna, I find the Empress' goals, actions, and spirit to be virtuous. Their dedication to the prosperity and security of the Empire are to be lauded. Vesna has been marked with the Testimony "Prosperity's Hearth".
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (884-90)
* '''Notes:''' This judgement was marked as being an Exaltation. As that motion has yet to pass through the full scrutiny of Constitutional Court this judgement is considered to be vindication for now.

===Judgement 183===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Darian Numbers
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' During an Inquisition that both challenged Laughlan and his views of Prosperity and forced me to consider and grow my own understanding of Prosperity I found the following actions particularly prosperous:. His focus on spreading peoples understanding of trade and giving them confidence to go further on their own. His focus on spending not for self-promotion but to raise up the Prosperity across as much of the Empire as possible. His clarity that he enjoys the reward of his work and enjoying the virtue of his actions. If I could have a judgement of Escalation at this time I would have done. I urge Laughlan to further pursue his understanding of Prosperity to further his own virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-0)

===Judgement 186===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I have followed up my previous inquisition of Rhisiart Dancewalker (Winter 385) where we discussed him reapplying himself to the Synod. He has done so every season for the past year and was able to talk of the virtue of his judgements and behaviour. His friends spoke highly of how he had inspired their virtue, the only questions remains about if Loyalty or Courage will have his dedication, but that is for him in the future.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (54-0)

===Judgement 187===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' I inquisited Urvakki about their skein and virtue earlier today. They still consider themselves frayed. We have talked of how they see themselves mending their skein including questions of Vigilance, Wisdom, and reflecting on choices. The Mark continues to support them and we will not abandon them, we build each other up.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (66-0)

===Judgement 188===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ilai
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Following the inquisition of Pariah of the Red Suns, he has been found to be <u>vindicated</u> for his actions at the last summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (318-0)

===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nekoda of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' In conclusion of his inquisition, Exarch Mattheas of the Silent Tide acknowledged that the split in Highguard forces in battle at the Autumn Summit of 386 was due to the feud between his chapter and the Sentinel's Tower. For his part in allowing this feud to fester rather than seeking resolution, I give a Penance of taking concrete steps before the next Day of the Dead to close this rift to the point where cooperation is possible. Loyalty cannot be compelled, but moving past these conflicts allows us all to stand greater in Virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (258-138)

===Judgement 198===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Gaelen Embercast
* '''Judgement - Castigation:''' Pickers Goldleaf has died after admitting on the Senate floor to active treason with the Grendel. Selling army orders and Imperial rituals. Before he died he admitted to spreading falsehoods about the empress in order to undermine the Imperial state and encourage her execution to install himself as throne. In his capacity as Imperial Spymaster Bernard 'Whitecap' Dugdale perpetuated these falsehoods. Whether he is involved in this treason is a matter for the magistrates. The Assembly of Nine believes that this demonstrates a profound lack of vigilance and wisdom to the detriment of the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (7-0)
* '''Notes:''' It is unclear which of Pickers Goldleaf and Bernard 'Whitecap' Dugdale is being [[Sanction#Castigation|castigated]] with this judgement.

==Recognition==
Four [[recognition|recognitions]] was presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice

===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Sentinel's Tower
* '''Judgement:''' We Recognise Ravadi Founder's Dance as an exemplar of Vigilance. ''Pilgrimage'' - They left Dawn to join the Founder's Dance Striding in Navarr, and walked the original path of the Exemplars Navarr and Thorn when the Trods were first created, guarding the world against the Vallorn threat with every step. ''Legacy'' - As Champion of Vigilance they were a driving force to forge mere titles into a cohesive organisation worthy to Inspire the Empire, several other Champions have pointed to this as Ravadi's Legacy. ''Benevolence'' - In sacrificing their dreams for a year to hunt down Bawn-Watch the Champion's Shield they would never hold, on behalf of every Champion that would follow after. ''Inspiration'' - Their Inspirational Vigilance was recognised by the Assembly in their appointment to Champion, and many priests of Vigilance will attest to this and their work that followed, seek us out.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1126-219)

===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Jedediah Boon
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the leaders of the Ore Hills rebellion of 326YE; Esme Hooper, Mary Digger, Ezekial "Zeke" Boon, Henry Killinghall, Maggie John, and Tom John as Exemplars of Pride. ''Pilgrimage:'' Zeke Boon with Maggie and Tom John undertook pilgrimage to Bastion in 318YE. ''Salvation:'' They turned the miners away from descent into Hatred, uplifting them to Prideful action, saving their lives and souls. ''Benevolence:'' They acted to prevent the starvation of the miners of Ore Hills, leading the Rebellion to take the supplies needed. ''Legacy:'' The songs of the Ore Hills, the Scythe of Shepherds, and Mary Digger's execution site remain; a Great Work is being constructed to follow. ''Inspiration:'' They inspired the Ore Hills Rebellion itself; in death their deeds Inspired the rising of the Ore Hills miners to resist the Jotun occupation of 386YE. Plan. Arm. Enchant. Resist. Exalt. Remember.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1053-808)

===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise Alberto Acciai, Martyr of Marilen, as an Exemplar of Loyalty, with the following signs: ''Benevolence:'' Inspired by his cousin Amika, Alberto led a rebellion of slaves in the mines surrounding Marilen. Alberto was a vintner, and freed these slaves solely in pursuit of Virtue rather than riches. ''Inspiration:'' After the rebellion, Alberto led the liberated miners to the city of Marilen, where they took over the city and slew its rulers, resolving to destroy the two coming armies of the Plenum in Virtue. ''Salvation:'' In freeing these slaves, Albero was able to teach them and the people of Marilen the Way of Virtue and the use of liao, spreading our shared faith across the oppressed of the Archipelago. ''Legacy:'' Based on correspondence with Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, we know that Alberto could have fled. Instead, out of Loyalty to those he had freed, he gave his life to ignite Virtue across Asavea.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (404-60)

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Edward Watcher
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise Eleanor Novarion, the Lady of the Proffered Hand, as an Exemplar of Pride. Once a slave, she dedicated her life following her freedom and recovery to helping others who had suffered the same, demonstrating her ''Benevolence''. Her work served as ''Inspiration'' to others, resulting in the creation of the Proffered Hand Network across the Empire. She was pivotal in securing the ''Salvation'' of the Free Folk of Asavea, reconciling their beliefs with the Way, an event marked by a miraculous aura of Pride. In her final months, she undertook ''Pilgrimage'' to Bastion, where she summarised her life with these words, a lesson to be shared across the Empire: "The greatest threat to Pride is shame. The greatest weapon against shame is Compassion."
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (243-10)

==Appointment==
Twenty six [[appointment|appointments]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Luca i Taziel i Riqueza''' was appointed with 258 votes; Miroslav Temnavoda received 34 votes; Katya Vasillova Reznikov received 18 votes

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of the Way]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tabris, son of Armisael''' was appointed with 118 votes; Yosephus Morningson received 56 votes; Warsmith the Iron Way received 32 votes

===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Assignment of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Taddea Ginori''' was selected with 400 votes; Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum received 284 votes; Dominigo Martim de Tassato received 180 votes; Aspar received 130 votes; Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard received 128 votes; Ashborn Atla received 92 votes; Claudia Varkulova Remislav received 70 votes; Friar John of the Mourn received 20 votes; Pontius received 10 votes.

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the Printer's Guild Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Fabio Costas di Sarvos''' was appointed with 130 votes

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Curator of the White City Museum]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Frater Pontius''' was appointed with 118 votes

===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Crow Keeper of the Rest]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Cynerik''' was appointed with 166 votes; Skaldsfrym received 20 votes

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Hand of Guerra]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra''' was appointed with 90 votes

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard''' was appointed with 272 votes; Nekoda of the Shattered Tower received 194 votes

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of the Garden]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Harwyn Eternal''' was appointed with 82 votes; Farren Silverstreams received 64 votes; Brynmor Rootround received 62 votes; Mazo Freewalker received 10 votes

===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[High Exorcist]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Belial De Courtenay-Wyldrose''' was appointed with 5 votes; Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun received 3 votes; Ehmrys i Guerra received 0 votes; Reighley of the Forlorn Scythes received 0 votes

===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Barbs]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Ashwood''' was appointed with 128 votes; Neala Blackhawk received 80 votes

===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Maarit Suvidottir''' was appointed with 142 votes; Damascius Netherwatch received 10 votes

===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lady of the Proffered Hand]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Leonel de Courtenay-Wyldrose''' was appointed with 62 votes; Richter Stern received 30 votes; Berith Martel received 28 votes; Ser Sable, "Knight of Love" received 22 votes

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lantern Wolf]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nadia von Holberg''' was appointed with 166 votes; Katarina van Palantiri received 98 votes

===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dean of Laroc Cathedral]]
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' Candidates were confused by the Tribune. Please see [[#Judgement 174|Judgement 174]]

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Keeper of the Orchard]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Creighton Blackwater''' was appointed with 46 votes; Maxwell Strong received 0 votes

===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arbiter of the Four Winds]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Athenus of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 100 votes; Halkyon of the Myriad Stream received 40 votes

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Kali Keen-Eye''' was appointed with 158 votes

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Inquisitor of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost''' was appointed with 184 votes; Nimrod, son of Noah received 10 votes

===Judgement 71===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Talos of the Silent Tide''' was appointed with 92 votes; Mouse Sergeant of House Vexille received 68 votes; Julius Solomon of Ebon's Hall received 30 votes; Abraham, Order of the Basilisk received 12 votes

===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ser Purslane Artorigus''' was appointed with 94 votes; Callista of the Dark Shard received 82 votes

===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Basilisk of the Bourse]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Heilyn Bronwen's Rest''' was appointed with 7 votes

===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushkan
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Grieftender of the Forgotten]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Radomir Shallotovich Dvorak''' was appointed with 60 votes

===Judgement 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Bryce the Hare''' was appointed with 218 votes

===Judgement 174===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Dean of Laroc Cathedral]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Valentin Orzel''' was appointed with 92 votes; Earl Ailsa Tamerlaine received 88 votes; Berith Martel received 78 votes; Ser Galantyne Wooder received 0 votes

===Judgement 175===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Tom Appleseed''' was appointed with 148 votes; Ivanbrok received 38 votes

==Rewarding==
Four [[rewarding|rewardings]] were presented to the assemblies during the Winter Solstice
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Jonah Yakovitch
* '''Judgement:''' Prince Bishop Yakovitch, Priest of Vigilance, seeks the support of the General Assembly to reward the exemplary Pride of Lorenzo Le Volpe. He, who took his vast wealth and as an example to us all, performed numerous acts of benevolence. Via 21 great works he built across the Empire, he continues to raise up the wealth, mana, and spiritual guidance of citizens in every nation. Let us inspire citizens to follow in his footsteps with this rewarding. In all Lorenzo did, he left the blood red mark of the Butchers Guild, therefore, I call the Synod to recognise and reward Lorenzo's pride by supporting the creation of the Blood Red Counting Houses with a reward of 38 thrones to demonstrate our support for these legacies. The Blood Red Counting Houses will allow virtuous citizens to echo Lorenzo's benevolence and donate to the virtue fund.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (344-632)

===Judgement 16===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' With the blessing of the Assembly of Nine* I request 62 thrones to be disbursed to the Imperial treasury to offset income lost to Asavean piracy. Consequences are the price of Ambition, we are willing to pay the cost. *Judgement 212, Autumn 386YE
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1000-244)
* '''Notes:''' A partial provision was made for payment, amounting to 55 thrones, 1 crown, and 16 rings

===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Halwyn Splitroot
* '''Judgement:''' Idwyn Splitroot is the voice of Navarr and an inspiration of Pride for all who attend Navarr songs and stories. Let us recognise her service and help her rebuild First Voice Glade School, which was desecrated by the foul ''scions'' of Cold Sun, with the reward of 20 thrones (repeated from Autumn due to lack of funds).
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (519-434)
* '''Notes:''' While this judgement was upheld, there were no funds available.

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Eddard Wormhearth
* '''Judgement:''' I seek your aid in the rewarding of one Odette Baudelaire of house Du Letharia of the Lavender Court. During the last event she not only with great wisdom and ambition took up the role of acting earl but saved a member of the lavender lance from a cowardly act of assassination with poison! I, Eddard Wormheath of Dawn and of the Prosperity Assembly, call for the general assembly to reward her with 60 crowns from the virtue fund!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (402-396)
* '''Notes:''' A partial provision was made for payment, amounting to 2 thrones, 5 crowns, and 1 ring

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Winter Solstice.
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]]<br>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>League Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#The League|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Spring 388YE</td>
<tr><td>Varushkan Assembly</td><td>No statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support a different cause will have an effect.</td><td>[[The war of thorns and flowers#Varushka|The war of thorns and flowers]]</td><td>Until Spring 388YE</td>
</table>

==The Virtue Fund==
The following represents the Virtue Fund of the Synod:
{|
| ''Closing value at previous summit'' || nil ||
|-
| ''Donations'' || 1 Throne, 2 Crowns || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Donations'' || 2 Thrones || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Tassato]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Starting value at this summit'' || 3 Thrones, 2 Crowns ||
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Berith Martel
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Throne || Donation by an anonymous citizen
|-
| ''Donation'' || 15 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements
|-
| ''Donation'' || 6 Crowns || Donation by Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Ring || Donation by Lysimachus
|-
| ''Income'' || 50 Thrones || The price paid in the Bourse Auction for the dose of True Liao
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 55 Thrones, 1 Crown, 16 Rings || Rewarding to Aspar following [[#Judgement 16|Judgement 16]] being upheld (a margin of 756) - insufficient funds for full rewarding
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || nil || Rewarding to Halwyn ([[#Judgement 47|Judgement 47]], margin 85) was upheld, but no funds remained.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 16 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements
|-
| ''Donation'' || 5 Rings || Donation by Berith Martel
|-
| ''Donation'' || 2 Thrones, 4 Crowns || Donation by Belkov "The Fair" Prochnost
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 2 Thrones, 5 Crowns, 1 Ring || Rewarding to Eddard Warmhearth following [[#Judgement 139|Judgement 139]] being upheld - insufficient funds for full rewarding
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Tom Appleseed
|-
| ''Donation'' || 7 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements
|-
| ''Closing value at this summit'' || 1 Crown, 7 Rings ||
|}

==Doses of True Liao==

Five doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to Vesna Borkovna Prochnost as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to Taddea Ginori via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to Asael of Reumah's Redoubt by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to Maegruth "Bear" Bearonovich Strascovich by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to Finna of Dawn by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Assembly Strength==
The table below shows the size, total voting strength and greater majority thresholds for each assembly as calculated at the start of the summit.

{|
! scope="col" style="width: 320px;" | Virtue Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Ambition || 40 || 470 || 236
|-
|Courage || 31 || 390 || 196
|-
|Loyalty || 61 || 792 || 397
|-
|Pride || 38 || 433 || 217
|-
|Prosperity || 40 || 520 || 261
|-
|Vigilance || 55 || 756 || 379
|-
|Wisdom || 43 || 495 || 248
|-
|The Way || 32 || 368 || 185
|-
|General || 340 || 4224 || 2113
|-
|}

{|
! scope="col" style="width: 320px;" | National Assembly
! Assembly Size
! Total Voting Strength
! Greater Majority Threshold
|-
|Brass Coast || 15 || 176 || 89
|-
|Dawn || 58 || 678 || 340
|-
|Highguard || 67 || 922 || 462
|-
|Imperial Orcs || 7 || 81 || 41
|-
|League || 31 || 468 || 235
|-
|Marches || 20 || 200 || 101
|-
|Navarr || 46 || 531 || 266
|-
|Urizen || 34 || 378 || 190
|-
|Varushka || 35 || 458 || 230
|-
|Wintermark || 27 || 332 || 167
|-
|General || 340 || 4224 || 2113
|-
|}

386YE Winter Solstice Military Council orders

2025-04-29T20:15:10Z

Rosemary: /* Quiet Step */

==Overview==
The Military Council is the gathering of Imperial [[general|generals]] and [[General#Admiral|admirals]]. Individually, the generals have responsibility for the [[army orders|orders]] given to the [[Imperial army]] under their command, while the admirals provide the [[navy orders|orders]] for the [[Imperial navy|navies]]. A general commands a single [[Imperial armies|Imperial army]], drawn from volunteers from their nation. Once a general is given their command, they have sole authority to [[army orders|order]] the army to [[army orders#Movement|move]] or [[army orders#Issuing Orders|attack]] as they choose. After each summit, the Civil Service quickly circulate the orders each general has given among Imperial citizens, allowing [[military unit]] captains to decide if they wish to commit their own force to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support an army]], and if so which army to support.

During the Winter Solstice 386YE, the following orders were submitted by Imperial generals.
==The Brass Coast==
The Brass Coast have three armies: [[Burning Falcon]], [[Fire of the South]] and [[Red Wind Corsairs]]. They can support three armies.

===Burning Falcon===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BurningFalcon Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Aracelis I Erigo
* '''Orders:''' Freeborn! We continue to gather our strength, fuelled with the courage and pride of our people. March to Tassato, carry the flame of the falcon as it grows ever brighter. Hold fast Cousins! Rest and ready. Yourselves for the blazing victories to come.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Tassato]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Fire of the South===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=TheFireoftheSouth Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Vincente i Zayden i Guerra
* '''Orders:''' Just as the flames of a fire need fuel, so does an army need rest. A well supplied and rested army fights with twice the ferocity. We will stand firm in Astolat on Solid defence ready for our time to rise once more.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Astolat]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Fire of the South with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Red Wind Corsairs===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RedWindCorsairs Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Delora i Sol-Devorador i Erigo
* '''Orders:''' Freeborn! We grow restless. The Endless seasons of biding and waiting, watching the cycles of the sun and moon. The Brass Coast bleeds, but you and I are still here, hand in hand, shoulder to shoulder. A long road lies ahead for the children of the flame and their Empire. Do not fear ash. It is a firebird waiting to be born. Our allies march into Reinos, to change the melody of this song. A start. A Spark. Make Ready.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Tassato]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Red Wind Corsairs with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Dawn==
Dawn have three armies: [[Eastern Sky]], [[Golden Sun]] and [[Gryphon's Pride]]. They can support four armies.

===Eastern Sky===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Dame Aurum De Castellan
* '''Orders:''' Sky, I'm back, and I say: We're headed back home. You've worked tirelessly to support the West for Multiple Seasons now and we need resupply. So… I hope you're ready for the annual Eastern Sky Mana Hunt. The Gryphon is dead, its pride reinstated, and walks a new path. The Sun will continue to shine with us. Now is the time to heal, to help and to rebuild the love our nation has been denied. Welcome our two new Generals with open arms - your new Captain, too. And know per haps, sometime soon, you may be able to look to new Orc Allies and defences of our Barrens. Love will prevail. Celebrate - winners of the hunt gets a weekend of Highwater Caster! Nova Avorei! PS You're going up against SIX other armies, Good Luck
* '''Action:''' Arcane Consolidation in [[Astolat]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Eastern Sky with [[Bound by Common Cause]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Golden Sun===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GoldenSun Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Lord Daemon Mortére
* '''Orders:''' Knights of the Golden Sun, we move from our position in the Barrens to Astolat. We will set up a Solid Defence to Resupply. We march as we always have, instead of stopping to route our enemies, tell the people of Dawn and the Empire stories of the sacrifice of the Helms and the Dance. Tell the Troubadours of Zoran De Orzel and his glorious deeds as your general these past 7 years. Above all, remind them that the Golden Sun is still here! Banners High, shields strong, remind them of the number of armies that have rolled over them and we are still here. Remind them we were in Therunin out of loyalty to Navarr and our Empire, that the Golden Sun has held to its Loyalty to stand where it is needed. And assure them it always will be. These are my first words as your new General.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Astolat]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Golden Sun with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Gryphon's Pride===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GryphonPride Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Ser Guy of the Twisted Rose
* '''Orders:''' Soldiers of the Pride! You have been most foully betrayed. You have been ordered to murder those who meant our people no harm, in their own homes and hear this! People you bled to liberate! People the hounds died to liberate. So quit the fangs in good order, withdraw to the West and leave bitter strand. Let the Rhavin go home. Block and who would prevent them. Our senator has been murdered, his dying dream was to end this strike. Do join me in swearing this oath that we shall protect all the peoples of the Barrens as if they were our own. let Dawnguard hold and may dawn guard and hold all our neighbours who stand in defiance of the Druj. Where the traitors have shown fear we shall at last make flowers grow, and together, with our allies, we will be a black wind that shall drive the Druj into the Sea!
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Astolat]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Highguard==
Highguard have three armies: [[Granite Pillar]], [[Seventh Wave]] and [[Valiant Pegasus]]. They can support three armies.

===Granite Pillar===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GranitePillar Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Sychar of Ebon's Hall
* '''Orders:''' Soldiers of the Granite Pillar! I am so proud of your efforts in the mourn. I am proud of you, and the virtue you displayed. We go now to resupply, that more of our loyal siblings may join our virtuous fight. We shall not lie idle. Virtue does not lie idle. Virtue thrives in adversity, and there is many a hard fight in the seasons to come.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Astolat]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Granite Pillar with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Seventh Wave===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SeventhWave Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Melkior of Balthazar’s Vineyard
* '''Orders:''' Heroes of the Wave, the call of the Crusade still rings in our camps and resonates in our souls. I call on you now to rest and seek reinforcement. Visit those houses that offer your success. So that you may learn more of the marchers to whom our imperial loyalty is shown. Drink of good ale and eat of softbread, within reason, and let this sustenance remind you of our crusading purpose. In all things, seek to strengthen our bonds of kinship and understanding with our gracious hosts.
* '''Action:''' Billet in [[Upwold]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Seventh Wave with [[Bound by Common Cause]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Valiant Pegasus===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ValiantPegasus Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Zadok
* '''Orders:''' Any crusade will have seasons of rest, seasons of cleansing. This year you have fought in loyalty to the freeborn and to the marchers. It has been hard, dirty, bloody work. All work deserves reward, and now you will call on the loyalty of the marchers to provide hospitality. Clean your wounds, wash your bodies, repair your arms and armour, so you are fresh and cleansed for the fight to come.
* '''Action:''' Billet in [[Upwold]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Valiant Pegasus with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Imperial Orcs==
Imperial Orcs have three armies: [[Autumn Hammers]], [[Summer Storm]] and [[Winter Sun]]. They can support three armies.

===Autumn Hammers===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AutumnHammers colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Ashborn Vana
* '''Orders:''' Hammers, we march into Jotun Lands. We take the fight to them. We fight to show our loyalty to the Empire and take blades away from the throats of the freeborn. We show the Jotun they can bleed not only in blood, but coin too, where the lasambrians feel it most. We call upon the contracts in the Autumn Realm with Callidus and their heralds to Plunder Reinos with us. Draw the Jotun Down.
* '''Action:''' Plunder on [[Reinos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of Barabbas enchanted the Autumn Hammers with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Summer Storm===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SummerStorm Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Irontide Skorr
* '''Orders:''' Legionnaires of the Summer Storm, we continue to fight the Jotun. Using a well balanced attack and the Clarity that the Day Realm brings, we shall fight with Loyalty and Vigilance. Push into Reinos and support the Brass Coast. Be wise in your choices and fight with courage. Defend those behind us.
* '''Action:''' Balanced Attack on [[Reinos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of Barabbas enchanted the Summer Storm with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will receive a share of the Guerdon.

===Winter Sun===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WinterSun Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Skywise Rykana
* '''Orders:''' Heroes of the Winter Sun, we have rested and guarded our borders while we drew upon our strength. Now we march the full force of an Imperial Legion to the North to make the Druj bleed for the suffering they have wrought upon our navarri kin. Let the chill of Winter harden your resolve as we make Steady Conquest into Bloodwater Marsh and make our first mark on the Sarangrave in blood. We shoulder the suffering of our siblings in the citadel guard and bleed for our Empire with the conviction that chains be broken and worth restored to the subjugated peoples. As we fight forwards, seek the septs if we can, look for their signs and welcome them in virtue.
* '''Action:''' Steady Conquest in [[Sarangrave]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of Barabbas enchanted the Winter Sun with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==The League==
The League have two armies: [[Towerjacks]] and [[Wolves of War]]. They can support two armies.

===Towerjacks===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=TowerJacks Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Gabriel Barossa
* '''Orders:''' Towerjacks, you know what it is to face a tide of Druj. Let us take the fight to their lands. The people of Sarangrave chaff under the Druj yoke - Look for allies among them and give them sanctuary.
* '''Action:''' Steady Conquest in [[Sarangrave]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Wolves of War===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=WolvesofWar Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Jean d'Apulian
* '''Orders:''' The Wolves march. First Tassato, then Miaren, finally Astolat. Time to rest at licence, You stormed Feroz, you recovered the Mourn, and drink deep and revel my Rascal!
* '''Action:''' Give Ground in [[Astolat]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==The Marches==
The Marches have four armies: [[Bounders]], [[Drakes]], [[Strong Reeds]] and [[Tusks]]. They can support five armies.

===Bounders===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Bounders Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Mary Birchsmith
* '''Orders:''' Bounders, we pause to help our siblings in the Brass Coast. Our war is not over, but we share an enemy. Through Steady Conquest into Reinos via Burnish in Segura we will draw them out and give us the time we need, together in loyalty we will stand, the Jotun will fall and we will not be alone but we will not leave others alone. We must be united.
* '''Action:''' Steady Conquest in [[Reinos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of Barabbas enchanted the Bounders with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Drakes===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Drakes Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Tancred of Meade
* '''Orders:''' Drakes, we will advance steadily into the ore hills. Haakon is dead, now re-sew the fields, rebuild the homes and find new soldiers to join the drakes.
* '''Action:''' Monstrous Assault in [[Mournwold]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Strong Reeds===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=StrongReeds Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Amberlain P. Black
* '''Orders:''' Reeds! Do you hear the songs from the Mourn? Jarl Haakon Is Dead! Killed by the hand of folkhero William Hooke. Our siblings in the Mourn are free again and change is coming. Lay Low once again, the marsh will hide us as we haunt and harry the remnants of the Jotun Forces. We are bound by common cause, so we will look to our citizens offer our aid and proof again our bonds of loyalty like the folkheroes of old. To Ground!
* '''Action:''' Lay Low in [[Bregasland]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Strong Reeds with [[Bound by Common Cause]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Tusks===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Tusks Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Stanley Of Chalkdown
* '''Orders:''' Jacks of the Tusks. The work is not done. While General Stan Labours so do we. This season we fight alongside our brothers the Drakes in a "Steady Conquest" in the Ore Hills. We will search every mine, farm and woods to clear out the Jotun in our continuing ambition to make the Mourn whole. I know you are tired and we have asked much of you, but the work is not done and therefore neither are we. Show them what it means to be a Tusk.
* '''Action:''' Steady Conquest in [[Mournwold]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Navarr==
Navarr have two armies: [[Black Thorns]] and [[Quiet Step]]. They can support six armies.

===Black Thorns===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BlackThorns Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Rhisiart Dancewalker
* '''Orders:''' Blackthorns! Swift and bold you march with the pride of Navarr to Reikos to resupply at broken ride. We will hold the line in Reikos whilst we aid our kin evacuating from Therunin. Bide, grieve, honour our dead and aid our people. Next summit we march to avenge them.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Reikos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of The Entwined Paths, The Amber Forge and Twilight Forge enchanted the Black Thorns with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Quiet Step===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=QuietStep Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Vesna Borkovna Prochnost
* '''Orders:''' Soldiers of the Step, my trusted and courageous Imperial Soldiers, Navarri of the upmost virtue. I have made an oath, witnessed by your nation. That this army will serve your cousins in Navarr. That your hearth will be the one I guard. We will take a solid defence in Reikos. Near the beating heart of the Empire. We will grow stronger so that when the time comes, we will serve what is yours.
* '''Action:''' Solid Defence of [[Reikos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Quiet Step with [[Bound by Common Cause]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Urizen==
Urizen have one army: [[Citadel Guard]]. They can support a single army.

===Citadel Guard===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=CitadelGuard Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Andronikos of the Lighthouse at Nikephoros
* '''Orders:''' Sentinels, consider the Chain. We bind ourselves in purpose and in blood with our cousins in virtue. You know your foe. You have driven the Druj from our homes before, and now we bring the fight to them. We will press the tyrants of the mallum in Sarangrave. Empowered by the bond of tears you will not fall - Be relentless in your advance. The Heroes of the Winter Sun, The Towerjacks and Golden Axe will shoulder your burdens. Remember their sacrifice, and honour them with Triumph
* '''Action:''' Winter's Mantle in [[Sarangrave]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Varushka==
Varushka have two armies: [[Golden Axe]] and [[Northern Eagle]]. They can support four armies.

===Golden Axe===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GoldenAxe Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Vojsuli Cherenkov
* '''Orders:''' Axe, we have rested well and said goodbye to Belakov. We now head to Sarangrave with the Crimson Slachta. We march with our siblings in Virtue against the Druj, the winters bite will shield the citadel guard to preserve their strength. Target the Druj holdings, leave their septs be and focus our axes against their overlords. Everything behind us is Imperial, Everything in front is barbarian. Axe, with me, March!
* '''Action:''' Take their Land in [[Sarangrave]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Voices of the Unbound Storm enchanted the Golden Axe with [[Knights of Glory]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will receive a share of the Guerdon.

===Northern Eagle===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=NorthernEagle Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka
* '''Orders:''' Soldiers of our firstborn army, make north and rest your weary hearts. Light up the fires, raise the wards, and gather close against the night. Grieve, celebrate, weep and sing. There is much to remember. Come, empty one, and send your hound master to our hearths. We share our hospitality, all sheltered by our homeland's tradition. We have many stories to tell, so listen, learn and teach...
* '''Action:''' Hit and Run in [[Astolat]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Northern Eagle with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

==Wintermark==
Wintermark have four armies: [[Bloodcloaks]], [[Fist of the Mountains]], [[Green Shield]] and [[Narwhal's Spear]]. They can support four armies.

===Bloodcloaks===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=BloodCloak Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Lofyn Blood-cloak
* '''Orders:''' My Cloaks, my Pride for too long have the enemies of our empire coveted the freeborn lands. Arrogant in their brazen bantering and merciless onslaughts. Now is the time to show the freeborn that their homes and families are not coins to be counted in a bargain, if they are a cost it is a cost too high. Strike into Reinos, free thralls and recover the lost and fallen who march beside us. Show the Jotun and Lasambrians that we will not sell the coast and if they believe that we are weak of heart or will. They they will not have been paying attention.
* '''Action:''' Recover the Lost in [[Reinos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Coven of Barabbas enchanted the Bloodcloaks with [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Fist of the Mountains===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=FistoftheMountains Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Umarth "Winter's Flame" Kannask
* '''Orders:''' Under the Shining Claw, that great Tusk, we etch Rhiv, the rune of Blood into our weapons. We call these ancient winter magics to us and I bind them to my purpose. A cost is always paid. My family paid that cost, the price of our ambition. Mercy, Thorn-in-place, my wife, died a shield to the Empire. Loyal to the end, remember her storm and learn. I bind the quickened cold meat to that purpose. Even in death, we will endure. Grandmother Winter sets us a riddle. We begin to have the answer. Mystics, cast the runes. Icebreakers, look far and carefully. Let us find the Pale Raven's answer. The weight of costs is heavy. We must all live together. Into them!
* '''Action:''' Steady Conquest in [[Reinos]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Wolves of the Pale Raven enchanted the Fist of the Mountains with [[Quickening Cold Meat]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Green Shield===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GreenShields Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Iron Osric
* '''Orders:''' Where now the horse and the helm of gold? Where the fearless, the free, the bold. Friends are fallen, fine foes lie far. Yet songs still soar from sword and scar. The words will make from withered pyre, and new tales will burn for the Shadowed Fire Dedicated to the memory of Mercy Thorn
* '''Action:''' Billet in [[Upwold]]
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.

===Narwhal's Spear===
<div style="float:right; width: 150px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Narwhal's Spear.webp|align=right|width=200}}</div>
* '''General:''' Determination of Ice Kaisa
* '''Orders:''' We are a thousand swords drawn together by goldenscale, three traditions in unity. It is now our time to rest and recover. Let us take this opportunity to tell the tales of our heroes and remember our fallen. Tell those who join our number the deeds we have done and think to our future. We have defeated Jarl Haakon, take this season to catch your breath and prepare the next verse in our united saga.
* '''Action:''' Billet in [[Upwold]]
* '''Enchantment:''' Concordium of Pallas enchanted the Narwhal's Spear with [[Brotherhood of Tian]].
* '''Guerdon:''' Military units supporting this army will not be rewarded by the Imperial Senate.
==Summary==
<table class='wikitable sortable BourseTable'>
<tr><th class='headersort' tabindex='0' role='columnheader button' title='Sort ascending'>Army</th><th class='headerSort' tabindex='0' role='columnheader button' title='Sort ascending'>Nation</th><th class='headerSort' tabindex='0' role='columnheader button' title='Sort ascending'>Start</th><th class='headerSort' tabindex='0' role='columnheader button' title='Sort ascending'>Destination</th><th class='headerSort' tabindex='0' role='columnheader button' title='Sort ascending'>Action</th></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Eastern Sky|Eastern Sky]]</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Arcane Consolidation</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Golden Sun|Golden Sun]]</td><td>Dawn</td><td>Therunin</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Gryphon's Pride|Gryphon's Pride]]</td><td>Dawn</td><td>The Barrens</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Granite Pillar|Granite Pillar]]</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Fire of the South|Fire of the South]]</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Wolves of War|Wolves of War]]</td><td>The League</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Give Ground</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Northern Eagle|Northern Eagle]]</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Redoubt</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Hit and Run</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Strong Reeds|Strong Reeds]]</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>Bregasland</td><td>Lay Low</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Drakes|Drakes]]</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Monstrous Assault</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Tusks|Tusks]]</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Steady Conquest</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Black Thorns|Black Thorns]]</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Therunin</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Quiet Step|Quiet Step]]</td><td>Navarr</td><td>Miaren</td><td>Reikos</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Autumn Hammers|Autumn Hammers]]</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Reinos</td><td>Plunder</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Summer Storm|Summer Storm]]</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Reinos</td><td>Balanced Attack</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Bounders|Bounders]]</td><td>The Marches</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Reinos</td><td>Steady Conquest</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Bloodcloaks|Bloodcloaks]]</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Reinos</td><td>Recover the Lost</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Fist of the Mountains|Fist of the Mountains]]</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Reinos</td><td>Steady Conquest</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Winter Sun|Winter Sun]]</td><td>Imperial Orcs</td><td>Mareave</td><td>Sarangrave</td><td>Steady Conquest</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Towerjacks|Towerjacks]]</td><td>The League</td><td>Redoubt</td><td>Sarangrave</td><td>Steady Conquest</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Citadel Guard|Citadel Guard]]</td><td>Urizen</td><td>Redoubt</td><td>Sarangrave</td><td>Winter's Mantle</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Golden Axe|Golden Axe]]</td><td>Varushka</td><td>Zenith</td><td>Sarangrave</td><td>Take their Land</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Burning Falcon|Burning Falcon]]</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Astolat</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Red Wind Corsairs|Red Wind Corsairs]]</td><td>The Brass Coast</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Tassato</td><td>Solid Defence</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Seventh Wave|Seventh Wave]]</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Billet</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Valiant Pegasus|Valiant Pegasus]]</td><td>Highguard</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Billet</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Green Shield|Green Shield]]</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Billet</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[#Narwhal's Spear|Narwhal's Spear]]</td><td>Wintermark</td><td>Mournwold</td><td>Upwold</td><td>Billet</td></tr>
</table>

[[Category:Military Council]]
[[Category:Recent History]]
[[Category:386YE]]

Second star

2025-04-22T11:49:59Z

Rosemary: /* Makes You Wonder */

<ic>
"Paragons be praised!"

The call cut through the dense fog from the unseen lookout high above deck. A moment later, a great bird appeared out of the impenetrable mist, its feathers bone white but for the rich blue tips at the end of the wings. The crew hailed the birds appearance, its presence a sure sign that land must be near at last.

The creature circled the vessel, lifting the spirits of the men and women on deck. One of the crew pulled some strips of dried jerky from their pouch, hoping to entice the newcomer to land on the deck. It swooped down, it's beak darting forwards to snatch the meat from his hand, but it remained aloft.

A moment later, the ship lurched violently, as it struck ice. The weirwood prow held firm, splitting the glacier in two with a sound like the Labryinth itself was ripping open. Only the helmswoman kept her feet, clinging desperately to the wheel as the the rest of the crew were thrown to the deck like wooden skittles.

The sails billowed, filling with wind, and the ship lept forwards once more, running before the wind as the helmsman steered her north.
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=RhianosArt.jpg|align=right|width=400|caption=Rhianos is Regent of the Eternal Sea, an eternal endlessly fasinated by wild adventure and acts of daring.}}</div>
==Overview==
In Summer 386YE, [[Rhianos]], the Regent of the Eternal Sea, announced that they were holding a great race, an [[Famine_and_feast#Rhianos|epic voyage]] to the four corners of the world. The first stage required [[fleet|captains]] to [[enchantment|enchant]] their vessels with [[Summer magic]] so that they might sail ''Into the Unknown''. Those who successfully completed the first leg were [[Roaring_plenty|given three new options]] for the second leg. They could turn '''widdershins by riches''' to return to the Empire with a small fortune in loot. Or they might turn '''deosil to mystery''' to sail in search of the unknown. Those who were most determined to win the race, set their sails '''straight on for glory''', hoping against hope to win glory for themselves.

The race is a strange one, for no vessel takes the same course. Heralds appear unexpectedly, taking the form of sea birds, flying fish, or leaping dolphins. They journey alongside a ship for a few hours or days, helping it to set a new course, before disappearing again. Any hope that these strange guides might help a ship avoid the worse of the perils ahead are soon dashed, if anything, the heralds seem to be leading ships into the heart of the storm. Still, everyone makes it out alive and ships have more than one mast so they have spares right?

The race is still only half complete, there are two more seasons to go before someone can complete the entire voyage. There are few changes this season for those who have stayed the course, say the heralds of the ''Brilliant Kingfisher'', but they are able to offer a little more information.

===Wish Upon A Star===
* '''Those who turned Widdershins by Riches returned to Anvil loaded with treasure from their expedition'''
* '''In addition, each captain has a single brilliant star, a precious gem, whose precise value is difficult to determine'''
* '''Any vessel that entered the race or may sail widdershins by riches'''
* '''Any vessel that has not previously entered the race may sail widdershins by riches if they are enchanted with [[Golden Voyage]] this season'''

<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''Widdershins by Riches'''<br>
Players who chose this option are encouraged to make up a story of the harrowing journey their ship has undergone. It is likely to have included one or more of, terrible storms filled with golden lightning, attacks by horrifying sea monster like kraken or sea-behemoths, deadly sea battles with pirates, or strange encounters with islands that seem to move with the tides. You have plundered a small fortune but spent much of it keeping your vessel afloat. A single brilliant jewel, the money in your pack, and your stories are all that you have left from the expedition.</box></div>
Those captains who turned their vessels ''widdershins by riches'' have returned with little to show for it, bar an enormous pile of money and a single brilliant jewel as bright as a star. These captains have faced extraordinary dangers, harassed by krakens in the Sea of Snow, hammered by hurricanes in the [[The_seven_seas|Sea of Storms]], or hunted by monstrous eels with rows of deadly teeth, each the size and shape of a Marcher's spade. Weathered and worn but wealthy, they return to port for a chance to rest and make repairs to their battered ships.

With the race at the half-way point, the crew of the ''Auspicious Mariner'' announce that their any Imperial vessel is now welcome to enjoy the riches to be found by turning their ship widdershins by riches - provided they have been touched by Summer magic.

Those that took this option in the second leg can continue on this path for the remainder of the race if they wish, but they may '''not''' now turn doesil to mystery or sail straight on for glory. Any ship that is enchanted with ''[[Golden Voyage]]'' at the start of downtime may also take this option, even if it has not joined the race previously. Widdershins by riches is a questing voyage, so Golden Voyage will boost the returns provided.

===Makes You Wonder===
* '''Those who turned Deosil to Mystery have been on an impossible journey to far-flung ports but have not yet sailed new seas'''
* '''These captains must continue on their current course for one more season to gain their reward'''
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''Deosil to Mystery'''<br>
Players who chose this option are encouraged to make up stories of the bizarre series of fetch quests, Rhianos' heralds have forced you to endure. The journey has been tortuous as the heralds have demanded you collect one unlikely quest item after another. You are encouraged to have one or more knick-knacks that you have retrieved - these don't appear to be magical in any way, but the more charming, whimsical, or weird the better.</box></div>
The ''Master of the Far Shore'' offered Imperial ship captains the chance to turn their vessels ''deosil to mystery'', to head in search of the unknown, to sail to shores never seen by Imperial vessels, to risk certain death in pursuit of the eternal horizon. His heralds claimed that those who did so would find neither riches nor glory, but would ''eventually'' return with a true treasure - a piece of the unknown. What the eternal conveniently neglected to mention was how long that journey might take.

Thus far, that prize has remained elusive. The eternal's heralds have led those ship captains who turned towards mystery on an impossibly convoluted journey taking them one port after another in pursuit of a set of increasingly bizarre items that it is claimed will be needed on the final leg of their journey. These items are fantastical, whimsical or weird - like a magical compass that always points south instead of north, a lost map that remains stubbornly blank no matter what is written on it, a golden cup full of moonbeams, or a whistle that only dolphins can hear. Each quest leads to the next, with ''Stormchaser's'' heralds assuring captains that they simply ''must'' complete this stage of the journey before they can attempt the next.

By the time the Winter Solstice is approaching, the heralds encourage everyone to head back to an Imperial port. Captains are told to fill their vessel with as much food and water as they can carry, promising that the final part of their journey will begin when they return from [[Anvil]], and this will finally carry them far from known lands. They urge everyone to stay the course and promise that the rewards they crave will be theirs soon. They claim that each captain who completes the epic journey to sail deosil to mystery in the coming season will encounter something no Imperial captain has ever seen before and will gain a map of the seas they have sailed.

Only captains who sailed deosil to mystery last season may continue on this perilous journey. This is a scouting voyage - ''[[Muffled Oar]]'' is the best ritual in Imperial lore to use if taking this option. Alternatively, they may abandon the quest to turn [[#Wish Upon A Star|widdershins to riches]].

===Who You Are===
* '''Those who sailed straight on for glory have seen their vessel sped on its way by impossible winds that never stop blowing'''
* '''These captains must continue on their current course for two more seasons to have a chance to be winners in the great race'''
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; width: 500px; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''Straight on for Glory'''<br>
Players who chose this option are encouraged to create a tale of a single deadly encounter they have suffered. During this season, you will have faced a grim challenge that has cost you dearly on a personal level. You may have been marked with a terrible scar or been left close to death for many days. It is likely to have claimed the life of someone dear to you; a personal friend or a trusted mentor whom you relied upon. If no character like that feels appropriate, then the herald who has acted as a guide this far has died dramatically at the conclusion of the encounter. You are returning to Anvil at a low ebb, but with growing confidence that you are pulling ahead in the race.</box></div>
The heralds of ''Leaf on the Breeze'' told those who were determined to win the great race that they must set a course ''straight on for glory''. Vessels that charted this course, have been driven onwards by winds that never ceased, night or day allowing the ship to sail further and faster than ever before, in pursuit of glory.

The race itself continues to prove impossible to assess. No two ships striving for the prize are sailing in the same direction, and there seems to be neither rhyme nor reason to the course they are being asked to chart. One day, a ship will be heading for distant lands in the Commonwealth, but as as it sights land they are told to head south to [[Principalities of Jarm|Jarm]] or chart a course for the [[Sarcophan Delves|Delves]]. One thing is certain: there is no evidence of any kind that ''Tiger's Eye'' is making any attempt to see whose ship is making the best progress. It remains desperately unclear how the ''King of the Nine Tides'' is judging this contest; despite that, every captain who has taken this option has a sense of growing confidence that their vessel is currently ahead.

Just as everything appears to have been going well, disaster has struck the captains on this journey. At some point in the journey, each ship has been attacked by powerful enemies, many have had to fight off [[Asavean Archipelago|Asaveans]] or [[Grendel]] pirates, but others were attacked by enemies unknown. Each vessel has suffered terribly in the attack, in some cases the captain of the vessel was taken to death's door and only narrowly escaped, in other cases an experienced and well-loved member of the crew who has sailed the ship for years, has lost their life.

Only captains who sailed straight on to glory last season may continue on this perilous journey. The heralds claim they will need to continue on this path for two more seasons before the race is won. Straight on for glory is a questing voyage but it provides poor returns. Rather than worry about such things, ''Leaping Salmin's'' heralds encourage captains intent on pursuing this voyage to seek out a ''personal'' Summer enchantment this season, the more potent the better. They claim this will help, though they refuse to say how. This means any Summer enchantment that specifically targets a character, and has a season duration such as [[Swan's Cruel Wing]] or [[Unbreakable Behemoth's Strength]] would count.

Alternatively, those who were taking this voyage may abandon this quest at any point and instead turn [[#Wish Upon A Star|widdershins to riches]].
==Further Reading==
* [[Rhianos]]
* [[Fleet]]
* [[Roaring plenty]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune about the second leg of the race
* [[Famine and feast]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune introducing the great race

Briar

2025-04-22T11:47:46Z

Rosemary: /* Becoming a briar */

<div class="toclimit-2">
__TOC__
</div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Rosamund.jpg|width=300|caption=The power of Spring fills briars with primal energy.|align=left}}
==Overview==
The briars are infused by the realm of [[Spring]], a fecund realm of exuberant natural forces whose green [[eternal|eternals]] care only for life and not at all for humankind. The briars are filled with primal energy: direct, uncomplicated and prone to outbursts of destructive rage.

Briars are most comfortable in military roles, although their primal nature can make them powerful in the [[Conclave]]. Some prosper in the [[Synod]] where their direct approach to the Imperial Faith often gives them spiritual insight. They often find the [[Bourse]] confusing and become easily frustrated by the complexities of the [[Senate]].

The briar lineage is intended to appeal to players who want to play something primal or visceral, with a strong urge to straightforwardness and physicality. They also offer opportunities to play characters who are highly critical of the complexities and shortcomings of civilised society. Briars will allow characters to play with some themes of discrimination as well; this lineage is presented as suspect by many groups within the setting.
===Sobriquets===
Other terms for briar, both within the Empire and in other parts of the world, include: Leshy, Barkbleeder (derogatory), Spriggan, Cicatrix, Greenscar, the twisted.

==What they are not==
* '''Dryads''': Briars are infected by the primal magic of Spring; it tends to make them energetic, physical and wild, but it does not turn them into a tree or instill them with a mystical awe for nature. They feel no more affinity to plants or trees than a normal human being does. While many briars reject the complexities of civilization they do so because of a difficulty fitting in, not because of an instinctive need to protect nature or be close to it.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Obviously A Story Here.jpg|align=right|caption=The iconic trapping for a briar is patches of bark on the skin.|width=500}}</div>

==Iconic trapping==
Each lineage has an iconic [[Lineage#Trappings|trapping]]; in the case of the briar it is patches of bark on the skin. Bark is the most common physical mark for lineaged characters but they are not a required element. If you do not have the iconic trapping, however, you ''must'' have at least one of the [[#Other physical trappings|other physical trappings]] associated with the briar lineage.
===Patches of bark===
Briars have patches of bark that grows in place of skin. The bark can grow anywhere on the body, but must cover areas of skin, it does not extend out away from the body. The effect is best created using latex prosthetics, as make-up by itself will not give the right raised profile. It is better to try and cover a few iconic areas of the body; we do not recommend trying to cover all visible skin. Briar's bark-skin can spread across the body in response to wounds suffered. The bark-skin is as sensitive as normal skin covered in a thick layer of latex would be. While tree bark can come in a variety of colours and textures, briar bark is rough, and predominantly brown.

==Other trappings==
In addition to [[#Patches of bark|patches of bark]] there are a number of physical trappings that mark someone as being of the briar lineage. If you want to phys-rep one of the trappings with a slightly different technique or style to the ideas suggested here then that is absolutely fine. If you want to use different trappings to the ones listed then you should [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk email us].
===Green eyes===
Briars may have exotically green eyes. Cosmetic contact lenses can be used to achieve this. The pupil can be any shape or design so long as the predominant colour is green.
===Thorns===
Some briars have thorns growing from their skin, usually along the lines of the body like the cheekbones or the forearms. The thorns emerge from patches of bark, which requires a suitable prosthetic, but you can have them emerge directly from the skin. If you phys-rep this effect by taking thorns from a rosebush and gluing them to your skin then try to ensure that you put them in places like the face where people are unlikely to catch them.
===Prominent veins===
Many briars have distinct veins in dark green or black that spread out beneath the skin. These are particularly prevalent near areas of bark-skin, emerging from underneath the growths. This effect is easiest to create using make-up.
===Briars "bleed" bark===
The signature quality of the briars is that when their skin is broken, it heals over with bark-like material. Sometimes this material has thorns embedded in it. Most of this bark-like material will eventually peel away, usually to reveal fresh skin underneath, but some of it never disappears – every briar has a few patches of bark that appear permanent. The bark may grow quickly or take hours to appear, so you can add some more bark to your make-up the next time you are out of character. If you are heavily wounded you might choose to spread your bark-skin effect for an event, but that there is no requirement to keep the bark from event to event. This is an exception to the normal rule that says your lineage trappings should remain constant between events as much as possible.
===Flowers===
As of the Winter Solstice 383YE, some briars manifest flowers or blooms that seem to grow from their patches of bark. They're easily removed, and may be perfumed or unperfumed. The blossoms are always rooted in the bark. They can be any colour, and can be represented by artificial flowers.
===Not Trappings===
{{Anchor|Leaves or Vines}}
====Leaves, Vines, and Branches====
Under normal circumstances, the briar lineage does not manifest itself as leaves, vines, or branches. The appearance of a briar is inspired by bark and briar patch rather than the classical myth of the dryad. For this reason leaves, other greenery, and tree- or bush-like features are not part of the standard briar trappings.
====Fungus====
The lineage does not have any connection to fungi or mushrooms, and they are no more likely to grow on a briar than they are on an unlineaged human.

==Gallery==
<fourpicture>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Bark-skin2.jpg|caption=Bark patch surrounded with prominent veins|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Briar Thorns.jpg|caption=Large thorns protruding through clothing|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=The Hooded Briar.jpg|caption=bark with veins|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Green Briar Eyes.jpg|width=2000|align=right|caption=Cosmetic contact lenses give the distinctly briar eye look}}
</fourpicture>
==Roleplaying==
<picturecolumn float=right width=40% maxwidth=400px>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Briar Violence.jpg|caption=Briar are exuberant and straightforward.|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Briar Face Detail.jpg|caption=Briars are often scornful of the trappings of civilised society.|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BriarWarrior.jpg|caption=Briar like to find physical solutions to problems no matter how complex.|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=ExuberantBriar.jpg|caption=Briars are full of energy, enthusiasm, and an irrepressible primal vitality.|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=MarcherBriar.jpg|align=right|width=450|caption=Some folk believe there is a sinister connection between briars and the [[vallorn]]}}
</picturecolumn>
Briars blood influences the character of the one who possesses it. Not every briar expresses these effects to the same degree, but characters who demonstrate these roleplaying trappings possess stronger lineage than those who do not.
{{anchor|straightforward}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars are straightforward</p>
They make straightforward plans, and instinctively take the most direct route through (or around) any given situation. They dislike complexity for its own sake, and respect plain speaking over an elaborate argument. They generally express a pragmatic desire to get problems solved now, and where several options are available, they look for the simplest solution. They will neither avoid a perceived problem, nor dwell on one they see as irrelevant. This straightforwardness can also make them blunt or even rude in social situations, as they rarely hold back from saying what they think.
{{anchor|mercurial}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars are mercurial</p>
Briars change their minds easily, they are swayed by circumstances and whatever seems important at the time. They tend to be spontaneous in their displays of emotion (sometimes inappropriately) and their moods shift without warning. They want what they want now, and some are over-eager to simply take the thing they want and then keep it as long as it interests them, discarding it when they become bored with it. Briars live for the moment and few see any need to plan for the long term.
{{anchor|primal}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars are primal and direct</p>
They are often scornful of the trappings of civilisation, dressing simply, using tools only when they make a task easier, some even eschewing material possessions altogether in the long term. They are often driven to pursue self-sufficiency, and may be commonly found among small pioneer communities. Their straightforward attitude may combine with this to make them uncertain in social groups larger than a few dozen individuals known personally to the briar, particularly if the roles and responsibilities within the group are not clearly defined.
{{anchor|physical}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars are physical</p>
They like tangible, solid, physical things, rather than getting excited by ideas or concepts. They commonly become frustrated or bored in intensely cerebral situations – they make their point and then expect things to move on swiftly to a conclusion. While this often makes them appear “simple” it is not that they are less intelligent than other humans, just that they have little patience for what they perceive as convoluted logic, circular discussions or anything which over-complicates what seems to them a simple matter. When confronted by a mental or social situation, they try to solve it in a simple physical way (for example, if someone is hungry they provide food, if someone is unhappy they look to physically remove the source of their friends’ unhappiness, rather than formulating a social response to the problem).
{{anchor|restless}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars have a restless demeanour</p>
Briars are often filled with the energy and vitality of the realm of Spring. They rarely sit still for long and are constantly active and mobile. Try to move just a little quicker than is necessary, lengthen your stride when you walk and allow yourself to become frustrated with delays. This cannot be your only trapping - you must have at least one physical trapping as part of your lineage.
{{anchor|vital}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars are vital</p>
Briars possess a remarkable resilience and reserve of energy. They are no stronger than a normal person but they can often work that little bit longer than other people, walk further, carry that little bit more. They have reserves of energy that they can tap into when threatened, enjoying [[#Boundless Vitality|boundless vitality]].
{{anchor|overwhelmed}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Briars may be overwhelmed by the Spring realm</p>
Some briars become increasingly short-tempered, until they point where they start to lash out at anything that frustrates them. They insist on having everything their own way and react with anger to anyone who refuses them. They often depart the civilised world completely, withdrawing to wild places (such as mountains and forests) and many turn to banditry. As they withdraw further their contempt for society increases and they begin to despise those that defend it. Ultimately they risk losing touch with their humanity, becoming a danger to anyone who gets in their way, striking out against structures and individuals that represent authority and civilisation.

==Boundless Vitality==
The briar [[Lineage#Boons|boon]] taps into their limitless reserves of energy. Briars that are exposed to any [[Roleplaying effects|roleplay effect]] that causes them to feel tired, weary, or weak can respond by becoming energetic and alert. For example, a briar who makes use of the [[Timeless Hammer Rhythm]] ritual can choose to start the next morning full of energy and enthusiasm rather than being tired and drained. They are not exhausted by their night of supernaturally enhanced work; rather, they are renewed and exhilarated by it. Likewise, a briar experiencing the effects of a poison, sickness, or [[curse]] that causes them to feel enervated or weak can instead roleplay being enthused and overflowing with good health.

Note that this boon applies ''only'' to roleplaying effects; it does not allow one to ignore supernatural [[Calls#WEAKNESS|effects]] such as that inflicted by the [[weakness]] spell.
==Briar Life==
{{Anchor|The Blood}}
===Briar Children===
Briars are warm blooded mammals. They reproduce like any other human, they have hair, and they give birth to live offspring.

Briars are almost never born expressing their lineage. Their lineage appears when they sustain a serious injury, with the site of the injury quickly covered in a thick scab with the texture and appearance of bark. In almost all cases, magical healing is involved. It is believed that magical healing catalyses the Spring lineage, causing it to express itself openly. However, magical healing does not always trigger the lineage – some individuals are healed several times before their briar lineage manifests. It is also believed by the scholars of [[Urizen]] that any Spring Realm magic has the potential to trigger the expression of the briar lineage lurking in the blood; it is just that the most commonly encountered form of Spring Realm magic is healing magic.

Many people show no signs at all of being a briar before the bark appears. Once that happens, changes tend to happen quickly, thorns may appear growing through the skin and the eyes may turn green. The psychological effects of lineage appear at the same time. If a briar is wounded and healed with Spring magic this can strengthen a briar's lineage; the physical and mental trappings become more evident. This is unpredictable however: some briars are healed many times with no apparent effect.

Because the lineage can hide in this manner it creates suspicion and distrust. Some people feel betrayed when their friend turns out to be a briar; other newly revealed briars (especially if they were unaware of their lineage until later life) suffer shock and damage to their mental stability when they discover they have been lineaged all along and when the urges of the blood become more powerful. Some more prejudicial individuals have inflicted serious injuries on suspected briars and then had them healed with Spring magic, hoping to reveal hidden taint – as well as ensuring their own ranks remain pure. It is a common belief that a briar who avoids magical healing will lose the taint of the blood and not pass it on to their offspring, although this is probably wishful thinking.

After death, a briar’s entire body is slowly covered with bark, appearing a lot like a misshapen, fallen log. According to superstition, an area where a dead briar has lain will be seeded with alien, supernatural foliage. Many individuals, especially among the [[Navarr]], [[The Marches|Marchers]] and the [[Highguard|Highborn]], insist that dead briars be burnt to prevent this happening.

The eternals of Spring expect their lineaged relatives to be forthright and direct. A briar who displays energy and vitality is likely to be recognised as a kindred spirit, although this may not be a uniformly positive experience.

===Imperial briar===
Part of the prejudice some Imperials feel comes from the events of the [[Freedom Heresy]]. Between 324YE and 328YE a briar-dominated group of heretics and secessionists attempted to seize territory from the Empire, with tragic consequences. Events such as this helped to fuel suspicion of this lineage. In recent years, much of this suspicion and prejudice has significantly cooled thanks to the [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_52|work of the Synod]] passing [[383YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_118|several statements]] in the year 383YE.
* In [[Dawn]] there was an undercurrent of suspicion towards those with briar lineage; it was in Dawn and the nearby [[The Barrens|Barrens]] that most of the bloody fighting of that uprising took place.
* In [[Highguard]] the bodies of dead briars were commonly burnt and their ashes scattered over water; while there are a few monuments to heroic briars in [[Necropolis#The_Necropolis|the Necropolis]], there are none of this lineage actually interred there.
* Briars are seldom seen in [[The League|League]] society. They're too direct for the subtleties of Dead Reckoning.
* Many [[The Marches|Marchers]] believed briars are accursed, and had nothing to do with them.
* The [[Navarr]] were especially suspicious of the briars, seeing a connection between them and the [[vallorn]].
* Intellectuals in [[Urizen]] found the briars too instinctual, too direct.
* The briar lineage was accepted in [[Varushka]], but there was a deep-seated prejudice that they were too willful to be entirely trusted.
* [[Wintermark|Winterfolk]], especially those of the Steinr tradition, have always respected the bold directness and uncompromising nature of the briars.

===Becoming a briar===
*'''The eternals Yaw'nagrah and Ossegrahn can both offer boons to allow a character to gain the briar lineage'''

*'''The Circle of Salt can provide a tincture over downtime that will allow an unlineaged human to manifest the briar lineage'''
* '''Healing magic, especially ritual magic, may cause an injured character to develop lineage'''
The handmaidens of the eternal [[Yaw'nagrah]] have been known to provide ''fruit of the oak'' to mortals in the past that, when consumed, can grant the eater the briar lineage. Convincing the ''Green Mother'' to grant one of the rare fruits is said to be a difficult task, made all the more difficult by the [[Alignment#Enmity|Declaration of Enmity]] against the eternal.

A few heralds of [[Ossegrahn]] talk of ''frithbark'' which is commonly ground into a fine, nutty powder that can be added to a hot drink that can grant the drinker the briar lineage. It has been some time since the ''Bogfearthan'' interacted with the Empire, but conversation with his agents suggest that the bark might be offered as reward for furthering the agenda of the eternal in preserving life and encouraging wholesome growth.

<br><br><span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Downtime</span><br>
The Circle of Salt, a small coven of Spring mages who live in Visten, [[Redoubt#Optarion|Optarion]], are able to prepare a tincture using water drawn from the waterspouts of the Ribbon of Salt and moss from [[Therunin#Peakedge_Song|Peakedge Song]], Therunin. An unlineaged human who drinks the tincture - which smells of wet earth and tastes of rhubarb - and bathes in the sea near the whirlpool will often manifest briar lineage. The transformation takes place over the course of a few days - no more than a week - in a relatively painless manner.

An unlineaged human who is seriously injured, and healed with magic (rather than [[herbs]] or the [[Surgical skills#Physician|physician]] skill) may manifest the briar lineage. There are no specific [[Combat#Traumatic_Wounds|traumatic wounds]] that mention becoming a briar - rather it is an out-of-character choice made by the player like any other method of gaining lineage in downtime. You might take this route after being seriously injured during an event (especially if you received a traumatic wound in the process), or simply roleplay that you were hurt in downtime, healed, and manifested lineage.

==Inspirations==
One inspiration for the briars draws on characters such as Swamp Thing; individuals who are outside, yet drawn to, the human world. Both the Hulk and Edward Hyde represent a struggle between civilised impulses and the desire to break free of societal restriction. Fictional vigilantes who take a direct, simplistic, approach to solving the problems of society like the Punisher and characters such as Conan the Cimmerian and Kull the Conqueror represent a physicality and desire for simple solutions to problems. Tyler Durden from ''Fight Club'' displays a more extreme version of the same archetype. Pragmatic, direct characters are good examples of the briar mindset, as in the story of Alexander the Great and the Gordian Knot, or the scene from ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'' where Indiana Jones shoots the swordsman to avoid an unnecessary duel.

==Useful Links==
This excellent and in depth [https://youtu.be/gJnYlb3btZk video] from explore the creation of a beautifully in-depth briar look, and [https://youtu.be/fPXjuXrho7Q this video] from TheRosaBelle both explore in-depth briar looks.

==Briar Images==
<fourpicture>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Briar Pathfinder.jpg|title=Navarr briars face a particular low-key prejudice from their fellows.|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Regal Briar.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Pensive Briar.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Colourful Briar.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=SadBriar.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Winterfolk Briar.jpg|title=The people of Wintermark are more accepting than many nations, valuing the bold, straightforward nature of the briar. Briar are often outsiders in Imperial society.|align=right|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BriarVeins.jpg|title=Prominent veins beneath the skin are common|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Briar Attitude.jpg|title=Briars possess an uncanny reserve of resilience and energy.|width=2000}}
</fourpicture>
{{Lineage Links}}
[[Category:Lineage]]

Quickening Cold Meat

2025-04-21T14:29:25Z

Rosemary: /* Description */

==Rules==
{{Season|Winter|120}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|10}} {{Imperial Reduction}}

{{regio|Winter}} This ritual targets an [[Imperial armies|Imperial army]]. The [[Imperial Military Council|general]] responsible for the army (or the [[egregores|egregore]] if the general is not at Anvil) must be present throughout.

{{enchantment}}
===Effects===
This ritual draws a large number of dangerous spirits from the [[Realm#Winter|Winter realm]] to accompany a [[Imperial army|campaign army]]. These spirits inhabit and animate corpses to create flesh-hungry unliving husks that fight alongside the army. The presence of these supernatural horrors raises the strength of the campaign army by the equivalent of 1,000 additional soldiers. {{Army Strength Ritual}}

While the enchantment is in place the general of the army experiences a [[roleplaying effect]]: ''You find it easy to see everything in terms of cost and benefit. The lives and needs of others, especially strangers, are meaningless if they get between you and your goals and what you consider to be best. You feel a powerful urge to ensure you and yours are safe, regardless of the cost to others.''

The ritual draws on [[Inhabitants_of_the_realms#Drudges|creatures]] from the Winter realm, which have been known to exert unpredictable influence those fighting alongside them, especially those with the [[draughir]] [[lineage]]. This might include lingering roleplaying effects or temporary hero points for the captains of military units supporting the enchanted army. Such effects are unpredictable; when they occur they are described in the appropriate Winds of War.

When the enchantment ends, the winter spirits become uncontrolled. Their reaction to being freed in this manner is unpredictable. They may simply return to the Winter realm, or they may run amok, or scatter into the wilds to form lairs from which to prey on the people of a territory. Whatever happens, if any of the spirits choose to remain in the mortal realm they are more likely to create a problem for Imperial heroes to deal with than they are to provide any valuable strategic benefits to the Empire.

{{Year Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional campaign armies in the same territory. Each additional campaign army increases the magnitude by 90.

===Assurance===
Given that the ritual calls spirits from the Winter realm, it uses the power of an [[eternal]], in this case [[Wise Rangara]]. The [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] connected with the ritual was lost for several centuries but recently rediscovered. Shortly before the Winter Solstice 386YE it was confirmed by the [[Unfettered Mind]] that the ritual remains effective until the [[Archmage of Winter]] uses the power of [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to formally ask for an audience with Wise Rangara during which they are able to explain to her satisfaction what lesson they believe the ritual was intended to teach.
{{CaptionedImage|file=QuickeningHusks.jpg|caption=The unliving husks are corpses inhabited by Winter spirits.|align=right|width=600}}

==Description==
This ghastly ritual prises open a [[regio|portal]] between the mortal realm and the Winter Realm and draws through a large number of incorporeal Winter spirits, sending them out to find and inhabit the corpses of the dead. The Winter spirits seek out remains that are intact enough to move and fight. This results in an unliving husk, [[Winter_magic#Oaths_and_Wards|bound]] by the magic of the ritual to serve as a soldier in an upcoming conflict.
<div style="float: right; max-width:50%; width:500px;"><box><div style="font-weight: bold;">OOC Note</div>
The spirits and husks summoned by ''Quickening Cold Meat'' will not appear at the event. They will only appear in response to plot created by a plot writer. Whatever happens, the husks cannot pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]], so they can never assist the heroes of [[Anvil]] on battles or skirmishes that take place during the summit.</box></div>
These husks are under the nominal control of the general of the army they are attached to, but the general should not forget that they are still Winter spirits. No amount of binding can change their essential nature, and in the thick of battle they quickly Fall on their defeated enemies and devour them, or even occasionally attack wounded soldiers on their own side in the throes of overwhelming lust for blood and flesh. A sensible commander can keep the unliving under control provided their will is strong and their orders clear and unambiguous but there is always an element of risk.

The Winter spirits generally seek out nearby corpses, meaning that especially during an ongoing campaign it is common to see husks created from the bodies of Imperial soldiers and barbarian warriors who fell on nearby battlefields. They favour bodies that are intact enough to move and fight, although there is a theory that many other remains, too decayed or broken to attain mobility, are also inhabited for the duration of the enchantment. The spirits have some capability to [[Winter magic#Preservation|repair]] remains when transforming them into a husk, and inhabited corpses stop rotting for the duration of the enchantment. They are hard to destroy; although they can be downed by wounds sufficient to kill a tough mortal they quickly recover and rise again. Unless they are [[Calls#EXECUTE|executed]] or struck with a [[Calls#CLEAVE|crippling blow]], they will clamber to their feet until they are so badly mutilated the spirit is forced to depart the corpse. Even then, the incorporeal spirit remains bound by the magic of the ritual and will seek out another nearby body, and over the course of a day or so transform it into a new husk.

The unliving use weapons and armour, but they do not seem to be truly sapient. They may moan, but rarely speak and when they do it is invariably to gibber a nonsense phrase (although [[voice for the dead]] can grant speech to their host for a short time the results are generally quite horrific). The experience of fighting them can be quite demoralizing - especially where the magic has turned the bodies of former comrades into monstrous ghouls hungry for the flesh of their former allies.

Husks created through this ritual are unable to pass through the [[Sentinel Gate]]. As with creatures such as the shadow warriors bound by the [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]], the magic of the gate cannot transport the bound Winter spirits; the corpse appears, inert, at the other end and the Winter spirit departs whence it came (presumably).

The ritual is very hard to perform because it takes a great deal of energy to draw the spirits forth; once the gate is torn open a host of spirits will pour through, bound by the power of Winter to obey and fight for the chosen commander. Attempts to create a lower magnitude version of this ritual have proved frustratingly ineffective. It appears that even if the ritualists wish to create only a single unliving creature it is impossible to bring the magnitude much below a hundred. While the rite binds spirits quite effectively in great numbers, creating the initial conduit to draw forth Winter spirits is very hard indeed.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''Unliving Rampage'''<br>When this ritual ends, the winter spirits that animated the husks become uncontrolled. This will sometimes create a threat to the territory where the army was fighting. The scale of the threat will usually be confined and localised, rather than representing an immediately cataclysmic "undead apocalypse" scenario. More often, the spirits will scatter and create threats that might manifest at future events, or they will leave the mortal world in a spasm of short-lived violence. That's not to say that there might be a bigger response, depending on circumstances and the situation in the ongoing campaign. Regardless, the intent of the ritual is not to punish players for casting it, but to create a moral dilemma for the characters discussing whether its dangerous power should be used.</box></div>
When the enchantment ends, the spirits do not automatically return to the Winter realm. Sometimes the corpses they inhabit drop where they stand, like broken marionettes, and the spirits seek out new hosts. Sometimes the husks shamble off into the wilderness, away from the army they previously supported, looking for easier prey. On rare occasions some of them turn on the soldiers they have been fighting beside, and seek to devour them. Regardless, when the ritual enchantment ends the Winter spirits remain behind until forcefully ejected from the mortal realm, usually by heroic intervention. Once the enchantment expires, the spirits' connection to the mortal realm becomes tenuous and if the bodies they are inhabiting are destroyed they will usually be drawn back to the Winter realm. Usually.

All in all, this ritual is not very popular and has been used extremely rarely, and is treated with a great deal of suspicion by nations that particularly honour the fallen. The prospect of it being performed in [[Kallavesa]], where the [[heroism|heroes]] of Wintermark sleep, or in the [[Highguard|Highborn]] [[Necropolis#The Necropolis|Necropolis]] where many beloved champions of the Empire lie, and transforming the honoured dead into shambling, drooling, cannibalistic horrors fills folk of those nations with dread. Leaving aside the general disgust at the idea of mistreating the bodies of Imperial citizens (which is a major obstacle to its use in [[the Marches]] for example), there is also the matter of the dread experienced by soldiers serving alongside a legion of flesh-hungry shambling corpses possessed by alien spirits. The ritual also tends to leave large numbers of rotting corpses scattered around a battlefield, and when the enchantment ends the spirits remain behind to bedevil people across the territory.

While the Empire does not make much use of this ritual, its effects have been encountered on several occasions when fighting the [[Druj]] and occasionally the [[Thule]], and both the ''necromantia'' of [[Axos]] and the magicians of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] are said to reinforce their own armies with tomb-hordes on the occasions when they skirmish with their neighbours.
===History===
In Spring of 378YE the [[Imperial Conclave]] passed a [[Concord|Declaration of Concord]] stating that this ritual has been known to contradict the funerary traditions of the deceased. This corrupting of a nation's traditions has led to symptoms manifesting upon the nation's [[Egregores|egregore]] and the revealing of other, darker, entities. What that latter clause refers to is not public knowledge, but contributes to the caution with which the ritual is used.

During a [[Archmage#Parely|parley]] that took place at the Summer Solstice 385YE between [[Wise Rangara]] and the [[Archmage]] '''Ematius of the Great Library of Ankarien''', the eternal confirmed that despite a great deal of speculation, they were the one responsible for helping to create this ritual and provided access to the Winter spirits it calls forth. The ''Ancient One'' declined to provide any other details about this agreement. The assurance was finally uncovered by the [[Unfettered Mind]], during their review of rituals drawing on the power of [[eternal|eternals]] in 386YE. Wise Rangara and her heralds have been approached since by magicians keen to know why she supports such a ritual, but in all cases the answer has been a philosophical shrug and the suggestion that ''Grandmother Winter'' intends it to be a teaching tool.

Attempts to convince [[Sorin]], [[Kaela]] or [[the Thrice-cursed Court]] to provide a more palatable version of this ritual have so far met with no success. An ill-fated approach to a herald of [[Agramant]] indicated that ''Blood-on-the-Snow'' was more than happy to offer assistance but the creature "''grinned in a most malevolent way that made me extremely nervous and so I curtailed our interview''" to quote the magician involved who wishes to remain anonymous.

==Common Elements==
The ritual opens a portal to the Realm of Winter through which spirits pass, and binds them to seek out and inhabit nearby corpses. Resonances include invocations that open a conduit to Winter; exhortations to serve the chosen character; bindings that keep the husks from running amok; girding or crowning the target general, especially giving him or her a rod or staff of command worked from bone; the runes [[Hirmok]] and [[Yoorn]], and the constellation [[The Drowned Man]] may all be appropriate elements to use in this ritual.
[[Category:Warfare]]
[[Category:Winter Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Wasp nest

2025-04-10T17:31:13Z

Rosemary: /* A Haunting Melody */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]

<ic>They stood, almost shoulder to shoulder but not quite touching, as the sun hid his face and the darkness crept in. The only sound in the clearing was their slow breathing, the lapping of the waves, and the arrhythmic buzz of diurnal and nocturnal insects swapping shifts. Isaiah marked the unnatural sheen of the surface of the lake; the malign red, sick green, vile yellow. Like droplets of oil in a glass, but worse. Some of the younger trees that drank from the tainted pool were already dying. The older ones weathered it better, but any arborist could see the signs that there was something wrong with them. The Highborn shuddered to think what the water of this lake might do to the people, or the animals, if they drank it. The thought frightened him more than the knowledge that they were no more than a handful of miles from the borders of Eastring, where the Druj were.

Shadows deepend, and Carys unshuttered her clay lantern, spilling out light. The stone's illumination was steady, but caught the lake in such a way as to make the corruption even more evident.

"It happens every night at this time," said the Navarr, her gaze still fixed on the shallow water along the lakeshore. "There, do you see it?"

Isaiah leaned forward, squinting, The pale light picked out movement in the water. Not ripples, not waves, but the suggestion of movement. Then, he saw the boot-tops and the legs. Dark hues spilt upwards from the water, like liquid metal poured into a mould. Legs, torso, arms, a terrified face. All picked out in the water and the corruption of the lake. They were limping. shambling really, through the water along the shore. They looked back over their shoulder, desperation clear despite the barely finished formation of their features.

"They're trying to lose pursuers," said Carys. Her voice throbbed with emotion, as she tried to remain detached. "They're injured. Sometimes the Druj let prisoners... wait, here it comes." She sounded to be on the verge of tears.

The figure stopped suddenly, staggered, collapsed forward. The watery colours that composed them began to become darker. Something like blood thickened their shape from the inside out, and began to drip down into the lake.

"An arrow, in the back," whispered Isaiah.

The wraith shuddered again, and then a third time. Two more arrows striking them from the front, in the stomach, making it clear to them in their last moments that they would never have escaped, that this was nothing more than a game and their fate was sealed before they had begun to run. They fell back into the water, lay face up. Not dead. Isaiah wanted to turn away but could not, knew he owed this spirit, this shadow of someone they had never met.

The ghost reached up, beseechingly, begging. There was no sound, and no answer. The Druj weren't visible - only the poor damned spirit could see their tormentors. Their body convulsed again, and began to sink beneath the water. No, not sinking. Forced. Pressed into the mud by some invisible tormentor with their boot on the figure's chest.

Carys could take no more. She moved forward with her light, as she'd done half a dozen times before on different nights, and called out to the ghost thrashing in the corrupted water, softly, gently, telling them that it was over and that the Dance awaited them. They had tried this before, but each time the ghost had simply faded away, the awful scene of their death ready to replay again. This time, though, the Navarr priest had Isaiah with her. He touched the blue flame stitched into the woolen shawl and smearing a little liao on the icon, and let the scent of it open his eyes. Perhaps he could gain insight into what it was kept this poor lost soul trapped here, on the edge of the lake, reliving their torment and death over and over.

It was too late, had likely been too late since the ghost stumbled in the water. The Highborn had a sense of pain, and loss, and frustration, and the fading hope that shone for a moment through the dark that this person - whoever they had been - would someone make it out would tell... someone... something. Then it was gone, slipped away, and the ghost with it.

Carys breathed a shuddering breath, and did not try to fight back the tears any more. Another attempt, another failure. Isasiah reached out and rested a hand on her shoulder, his own eyes glittering, and spoke with a quiet certainty that welled up from deep within his soul.

"We will do this," he said gently, hoping that she understood that they were in this together, that she was not alone, any more than this poor spirit was alone. "We will do this. We will find a way to make this right. We ''will''."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Glade of Farewell.jpg|align=left|caption=Not everyone is remembered in the corpse glades of the Navarr.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
At the Autumn Equinox, the [[Highguard|Highborn]] Assembly upheld a [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_88|statement of principle]] from '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' that restated their [[Full_of_sacred_sound#A_Peerless_Kinship|peerless kinship]] with Navarr. The judgement passed with a greater majority reflecting the desire to help strengthen their kin and do what they could to support their fellow nation. It is the last such judgement that can be passed as a result of the [[Full of sacred sound]] wind of fortune

Arianwen Thornfield's [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_189|judgement to guide the Highborn]] proposed a priority of the Navarr asking the Highborn priests to help them lead the restless souls that [[Therunin#Eastring|wander Therunin]] to their rightful place. The judgement is shrewd and well considered - of all the nations of the Empire, none have more experience in dealing with unquiet shades as the Highborn, they are well placed to offer expert help.

Unfortunately the situation in Therunin is far from ideal. The majority of the ghosts seem to be anchored in [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]], a location that is firmly under the control of the [[Druj]]. There may have been a hope that the invaders would have been defeated and East Ring liberated, but any such hope has been [[Under eastern skies|cruelly dashed]]. Nonetheless, working with the help of their Highborn allies the Navarr priests are able to create a plan to deal with the ghosts in Eastring, but it would be impossible to put the plan into action until the entire region is firmly under Imperial control. Any action will have to wait until then.

Thwarted in their primary goal, the Highborn pilgrims look to see what other aid they can offer ''now''.
<div style="display: grid; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; gap: 10px;">
{{SOPInner|by=Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower, Highborn Assembly|statement=Highguard, our kinship with Navarr is Peerless. Our Loyalty to them has been acknowledged and praised. So we shall continue our actions in Pride. I once again call upon us to use Peerless Kinship to aid in Therunin as we once did in Brocéliande. They have asked, we MUST answer. Show that we deserve to raise the Grey Pilgrim army. Aid our ally.|vote=Greater Majority 486-28|when=Autumn Equinox, 386YE}}
{{SOPInner|by=Arianwen Thornfield, Navarr Assembly|statement=Unrestful souls wander Therunin unable to find the labyrinth due to the horrid massacre and inaction of this assembly. We call to our siblings in Highguard to help us lead the souls to their rightful places.|vote=190-28|when=Autumn Equinox, 386YE}}
</div>
==A Haunting Melody==
* '''The spirits gathering in eastern Therunin remain restless'''
* '''An inspirational location would help the spirits find their rest'''
The Imperial [[Blood_and_mire#Game_Information:_Therunin|counterattack]] into Therunin left thousands dead, and that butchers' bill has only increased since. Such wholesale slaughter saw Eastring become [[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]] by the restless dead, even before the fallen [[Iron Helms]] began [[Under_eastern_skies#Onwards_Through_the_Snow|their rampage]]. Soldiers who escaped the meat grinder speak of uneasy ghosts lashing out at any who come near, or leaving those that listen to their woes and wails with a lingering sense of dread and a bone-deep [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]].

The [[Kaela#The Gift of Kaela|Gift of Kaela]] offers an escape, albeit a tragic one, for those who fall into the hands of the Druj. Yet death in battle is often sudden, painful, and woven with feelings of anger, loss, desperation; perfect conditions for ghosts to arise. There is something about these restless spirits, trapped as they seem to be in the mortal world by their sadness and ire, that seems particularly unsettling for many Navarr. This remaining - not going into the Labyrinth, not continuing the [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#The_Great_Dance|Great Dance]] - is abhorrent. There is perhaps no other Imperial nation better suited to helping the Navarr to deal with these unquiet dead than that of Highguard. The [[Necropolis#The_Necropolis|the Necropolis]] in particular is a place haunted by the spirits of the past; there are rumours that at certain times in history, the ghosts have outnumbered the living in [[Necropolis]]. Those ghosts who linger there sometimes become angry and disruptive and must be quieted or dealt with.

Unfortunately, Eastring where many of the lingering dead seem to be found, is firmly under the control of the Druj. There are also unqiuet spirits in conquered East Ashes, and in the barbarian-threatened Lower Tarn Valley. The invading armies are buoyed up by the cruel destruction of the Iron Helms and Isaella's Dance. The Black Wind seem particularly eager to get their hands on Imperial priests, to exact a bloody revenge on the Empire who they hold responsible for the [[Ripples_and_shadows#Black_Wind|murder of their sept leaders]]. At best any priests who attempted to enter Eastring to deal with ghosts would likely be slaughtered by the Druj, or left with no choice but to take Kaela's bitter gift. At worst the cruel orcs might find a way to break their spirit and turn them against the Empire as they have done before, in [[the Barrens]] and in [[Zenith]].

[[Highguard_religious_beliefs#Stewards_of_the_Dead|Stewards of the Dead]] who have made the journey to Therunin are determined not to disappoint their peers among the Navarr. Together they discuss a plan. Some suggestions come from an unlikely force; soldiers from the Dawnish armies that have fought in Therunin, receiving sanctuary and treatment for their terrible wounds at Peakedge Stead, talk about the [[A_glorious_victory#Here_We_Stand_.28Conjunction.29|shrine of hope]] in [[the Barrens]] that helps those who fell in that wild territory find rest.
===Glade of Farewell===
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Establish Glade of Farewell'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Edifice</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Lower Tarn Valley, Eastring, East Ashes</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' minimum 9 wains of weirwood, 27 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' * The region must be fully Imperial, and not have any poison or other corrupt quality
* Would require a writ of consecration once completed
* Grandeur of the memorial would influence the final effect, but at the minimum would remove the haunted quality from Eastring
</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''A glade consecrated with true liao would help the angry spirits of Therunin to move on'''
* '''A commission is required to make a suitable location, and a writ of consecration is needed to complete it'''
* '''The ''Glade of Farewell'' would need to be built in a region ravaged by the Druj that was under Imperial control and not corrupted by Druj malice'''
A [[Inspirational location|sared site]] established in eastern Therunin would help the restless dead find peace. There are several locations in Eastring, East Ashes, and the Lower Tarn Valley that would be suitable; it would require a glade and the construction of a memorial that remembered all those who fell to the Druj whether soldiers or innocent civilians claimed by the cruel barbarians. A suitable memorial would not need to be ostentatious; a minimum of 9 wains of weirwood would be required placing the [[commission]] within the reach of the [[Mistress of Monuments]] for example. Contribution of more weirwood would increase the [[Edifice#Grandeur|grandeur]] of the final memorial however, so there are potential advantages to having it commissioned by someone capable of building a larger structure. At the end of the day the important thing is that this place be reminiscent of the [[Navarr_culture_and_customs#Funerals|corpse glade]], but rather than one where the bodies of the fallen are laid to rest it would be a place that attracted the spirits of the fallen and helped them leave the shackles of the mortal world behind.

The ''Glade of Farewell'' would need to be built in one of the regions of Therunin ravaged by the Druj, but not necessarily in Eastring itself. While there are more spirits in Eastring, there are also ghosts gathering in parts of Lower Tarn Valley and East Ashes. Indeed, if the Druj engage in further slaughter in either of the latter two regions it seems likely they, too, might acquire the haunted qulaity. Unfortunately, until Eastring or East Ashes are liberated, or the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|corruption]] that pools in the Tarn Valley is removed, the memorial will achieve nothing save remind the dead of their loss. The region where it is built must be recaptured, or purified, before the memorial can be blessed. Of course, even if this is done there is a chance the Druj might disrupt building if their armies press east.

Once the construction is complete, the Highborn propose that it should be [[consecration#True Consecration|consecrated]] with [[liao#True liao|true liao]] in the same way the Shrine of Hope was. After a great deal of discussion, they recommend that it be consecrated to one of the virtues of, [[Pride]] (exalting the sacrifice performed by the fallen and the victims of the Druj), [[Loyalty]] (commemorating the commitments of those who fell to their people and their allies), or [[Courage]] (recognising that those who fell to the Druj fought to the very last for what they believed in). This would require the usual [[writ of consecration]] in the appropriate assembly, and provided it met the usual criteria and the memorial had been completed, it would create an opportunity to consecrate the ''Glade of Farewell''.

Once that were done, the exact effects would be depend on the virtue chosen and the grandeur of the memorial, but at the bare minimum it would allow those trapped as ghosts in eastern Therunin to move on (it would remove the haunted quality from Eastring).

==A Cleansing Song==
<div style="width: 350px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Cleanse the Corruption'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Therunin</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 30 thrones a season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Time:''' Six months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Cost would be cut to 10 thrones a season if an appropriate Imperial Sodality of apothecaries voted to undertake the task</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Highborn magisters are bringing samples of the substance that has poisoned the Lower Tarn Valley to Anvil'''
* '''If an antidote can be found the apothecaries of the Empire could be encouraged to deploy that solution in Therunin'''
Unable to immediately help the Navarr lay to rest the spirits of the dead, the Highborn pilgrims look for other ways to help. Another pressing problem besides the ghosts and the Druj is that of the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisonous]] and ravaged land of the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Lower Tarn Valley]]. While it is once again under Imperial control but it is far from safe, not least because the orcs of the Mallum are notorious for leaving assassins and saboteurs behind when they are driven out. For the ''Glade of Farewell'' to be built there, the corruption that pools in the earth and water must first be removed.

Like Eastring, the Druj are behind the problems here. The contents of [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]] were spilled in the Lower Tarn Valley during the Summer Solstice, and the cursed brew sank deep into the ground and spread across the region. The situation ''could'' have been even worse if the Druj's full scheme had been realised, but that is scant comfort for those who remain in the region. Already this season, it has [[On_southern_sands#The_Arete_of_Sword_and_Spear|cost the lives of Imperial soldiers]], and in conjunction with the [[Rivers Run Red|Spring curse]] hanging over the territory it has cused the death of two dozen Navarr and Great Forest Orcs living in the Lower Tarn.
===Isolating an Antidote===
* '''A herbal antidote to the poisoning needs to be discovered'''
* '''The highborn magisters have asked Hazelelponi who enacted the peerless kinship mandate to take the lead'''
* '''Samples of the poison will be brought to the Highborn camp at 15.00 on Saturday afternoon'''
Between them, the Highborn and the Navarr are some of the most skilled herbalists in the Empire, but dealing with the malison the Druj have unleashed will require first unlocking the secrets of the poisons the Druj created to taint the land. Skilled [[Surgical skills#Apothecary|apothecaries]] would need to analyse the toxic concoction that the Druj brewed, and devise a way to deal with it. To make that possible, Highborn [[magisters]] have carefully collected samples of the poison from the pools and marshes of the Valley. Being at pains to protect themselves against the threat of the venom with solemn rites of [[Highguard_hearth_magic#Corruption_and_Purification|purification]], they have managed to gather a small amount of reasonably pure venom.

Aiming to arrive in the Highborn camp at three in the afternoon on Saturday during the Solstice, their hope is that, with the guidance of '''Hazeleponi''', who enacted the mandate, the apothecaries of Anvil will be able to work together to find a way to analyse the substance and find a cure.

What little is known about the mixture the Druj prepared in Sephal's Cauldron has already been provided by the Civil Service in the [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Ashes]] wind of war. Presumably those seeking a solution will be able to use these initial notes as the basis for a successful approach to analysing the poison.

===Practical Solutions===
* '''If an antidote can be discovered, the Imperial Senate could coordinate apothecaries to remove the taint on the Lower Tarn Valley'''
* '''This would require a Senate Motion and investment of 30 Thrones a season for two seasons'''
Presuming an antitodte can be isolated, the next step would be to make it as public as possible. The [[Imperial Senate]] can use a [[senate motion]] to publicise this information much as they would with a new set of potion recipes being made available to Imperial apothecaries. As part of that motion, they could also instruct the civil service to work with Imperial citizens to put that antidote to work removing the [[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]] quality from the Lower Tarn Valley.

Doing so would take six months, and cost the Imperial treasury 30 Thrones each season. It is also quite risky; the Druj are in Eastring and East Ashes. While they might suffer from another attempt to invade the Lower Tarn Valley, they know enough about the venom to ensure that their losses will be fewer than those suffered by Imperial armies fighting in the region. If they plan to continue their invasion of Therunin then they must either push along the northern route through the Tarn Valley or attack the vallorn in [[Therunin#Greenheart|Greenheart]]- the latter is something they are ''very'' unlikely to do. If they went into the Lower Tarn while apothecaries were attempting to deal with the poison there, it's likely the project would be delayed ''at best''. If those working there were unprotected the results would be ''much'' worse.

===Peak Pharmacy===
* '''The Benefactor of High Chalcis could redirect the bounty of herbs produced by the Gardens to treat the poison in Therunin'''
* '''Doing so would reduce the herbs available for purchase by the High Herbalist of Sybella while the work was underway'''
There are a few alternatives to the Senate taking the lead. Across the border, in [[Reikos]], lie the [[Gardens of High Chalcis]], built in part as a monument to those who suffer at the hands of the Druj. In addition to the [[Highguard|Highborn]] who tend the gardens, there is a significant population of [[Navarr]] herbalists and physicks mostly from the [[steading]] of [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]].

The [[Benefactor of High Chalcis]] could use their power to [[Benefactor_of_High_Chalcis#Redirect_the_Bounty|redirect the bounty]] of the Gardens to help remove the corruption from Therunin. As long as they included the details of the antidote, there would be no monetary cost to the Imperial Treasury. The majority of the herbs would come from High Chalcis, and any shortfall would be made up by devout herbalists in other parts of Highguard. As always, however, using this power would mean the [[great work]] would provide no additional herbs to the herb gardens of Reikos during the time it took to clear the poisonous taint, and the Benefactor themselves would receive no personal herbs either. This decision would ''also'' have implications for the [[High Herbalist of Sybella]] – with fewer herbs available to buy in Highguard they would lose access to the top two ranks of their ministry while the purification takes place (this would not impact their ability to buuy herbs from the Kruidenkenner however).

Once committed, the effects would persist until the corruption was removed from the Lower Tarn Valley, or the Benefactor chose to end them with another announcement.

===Militant Physicks===
* '''The Valiant Pegasus, Blood Cloaks, or an army under Bound by Common Cause could help clear the poison, reducing the time needed to a single season'''
* '''Any army working in the region would suffer the effects of poison unless protected by the enchantment Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker'''
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=ValiantPegasus_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=BloodCloak_Colour.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
The army of the [[Valiant Pegasus]] presents another alternative. They have many expert apothecaries and herbalists among their numbers. Unfortunately the army is currently engaged in the liberation of the Mournwold. If they were to come to Therunin, however, and use their [[Army_qualities#Physick|Tend the Fallen]] order they could clear the poisoned quality from the Lower Tarn Valley in a single season, as well as providing protection to anyone there against a Druj invasion.

There is a risk to such a plan, of course, in that the army would be exposed to the very poison quality thy were cleansing. But the magisters of Highguard point out that the Winter ritual [[Why Sulemaine Walked Away From The Baker]] provides protection to soldiers from poison. The Valiant Pegasus – or the physicks of the [[Bloodcloaks]] of [[Wintermark]] – could be defended from the corruption of the Tarn Valley if they bore the enchantment.

In theory any army could work with the apothecaries encouraged by the Senate to help deploy the antidote. Unfortunately, no other army possesses the expertise of these the Valiant Pegasus and the Blood Cloaks. Perhaps Isaella's Dance might have been in a position to undertake the work but they are no more. Any other army would need the benefits of [[Bound by Common Cause]] to help work with the inhabitants of the Lower Tarn and the apothecaries. This would leave them vulnerable to the effects of the poisoned quality, unfortunately. Regardless, they would also need to take a defensive order that mentioned their intent to help cleanse the Lower Tarn Valley of corruption.

An army deployed in this fashion would be able to clear the poison in a single season, and could ensure that the apothecaries working there were able to complete their work even in the face of further Druj aggression. It would still cost the Imperial treasury 30 thrones, or the people of Reikos their herbs, but hopefully for a single season.

===Limited Opportunities===
* '''These solutions rely on the Empire maintaining control of Lower Tarn Valley - these plans would be defunct if they lose control of any part of the region'''
* '''If the Silver Chalice had a grand lodge they would be well placed to deal with the problem'''
* '''An Imperial sodality of apothecaries would be well placed to deal with the problem'''
The plan to restore the Lower Tarn Valley relies on the Highborn assessment of the situation as it is now. If the Druj attack the Tarn Valley again in force and claim ''any'' of the region it will invalidate the scheme and a new approach will be needed.

There are other things that could be done about the poison; the most obvious is that the Senate could commission an [[appraisal]] to find other ways to deal with the quality. If the [[Silver Chalice]] had a [[grand lodge]], they would be able to turn their attention to the matter (once they were done with their work in Madruga). An [[Imperial sodality]] with a strong manifesto related to healing and the apothecary arts - there is surely an apothecary fraternity that meets at Anvil that might be able to fulfill the [[requirement]] to be recognised as such - then they would likely be in an ideal position to find a solution to the Druj corruption that does not impose such a drain on the Imperial treasury. For now though, the Highborn plan is the only one that is available.
==Stand for a Dream==
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Micah's Stand'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Wayhouse</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Chalcis Mount, Reikos</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 12 weirwood, 12 white granite, and 72 crowns</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Creates the title of ''Keeper of the Stand''<br>Standard [[The_way_home#Building_Wayhouses|benefits]] of a wayhouse.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:'''
* Increases the production of the Benefactor of High Chalcis to 8 of each herb.
* Increases the great work production of the Gardens of High Chalcis by 1 Imperial rosewald</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Keeper of the Stand'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Navarr </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Any </td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Receives 10 doses of liao and 10 drams of random herbs each season</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' To protect the wayhouse and the Navarr who live in Reikos. To work towards the reclamation of Vale's Lament from the vallorn.</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''The ''Micah's Stand'' wayhouse could be constructed in Chalcis Mount'''
* '''In addition to the normal benefits of a wayhouse, this would provide benefits to the Benefactor of High Chalcis and the herb gardens of Reikos'''
* '''This opportunity remains open until the end of the Summer Solstice 387YE'''
Cooperation is not a one-way street. While the Highborn work in Tharunin, their efforts provide an opportunity closer to home. When Reikos was reclaimed from the Druj and Urith Barath was torn down, the Navarr and Highborn working together managed to translate the herbals claimed from the Stone Toad sept. Since then, there have been Navarr living around, and caring for, the [[Gardens of High Chalcis]].

With the Last Battle wayhouse built in the Barrens, the steading of ''Micah's Stand'' - a small group devoted to the memory of the Highborn who welcomed them in – suggest that a wayhouse be built in Reikos. A wayhouse built in eastern Reikos would allow the Navarr of Theruin to live close to their home - whilst still being safe from the Druj.

Several of the larger chapters of Chalcis Mount are supportive of this plan; Micah's Stand, and others like it, have proved excellent neighbours, and they remember the suffering of knowing that your home was under the terror of the Druj. The steading, and those who moved, would wish to see an Imperial title who could represent them, someone they could go to with worries and who could be prevailed upon to speak on their behalf at [[Anvil]]. The steadings also look north to fecund Brocéliande, and [[Brocéliande#Vale's_Lament|Vale's Lament]] in particular. The Navarr would want the title, ''Keeper of the Stand'' perhaps, to strive towards removing the vallorn from any border of Reikos.

Building a wayhouse in Chalcis Mount would cost a little more that usual, but it would attract skilled Navarr herbalists to visit the region. The exchange of skills with the citizens who tend the Gardens of High Chalcis could only benefit the Empire, increasing the bounty of herbs delivered to the [[Benefactor of High Chalcis]] by one of each type and providing one additional Imperial Roseweald to every herb garden in the territory.

Micah's Stand would need to be commissioned before the start of the Summer Solstice 387YE, otherwise the opportunity would be lost.

==The Deathstinger in the Woods==
* '''The Highborn raise serious concerns about Peakedge Stead being undefended'''
* '''A fortification could be built in Therunin specifically to protect Peakedge Song and the Apothecary college'''
There's one other matter that the Highborn passing through Therunin are concerned by. Peakedge Stead is one of the centres of the healing arts in the Empire. The new college of apothecaries has been established there. In addition to Navarr healers, there are regular visitors from Highguard and a permanent community of Great Forest Orc herbalists here.

The Druj... the Druj have a very nasty track record for targetting places such as these. Centres of learning, hospitals, places where compassionate people work to reduce the pain and suffering in the world. The Druj have poisoned the Lower Tarn and slaughtered both humans and orcs who once lived there, but they may have another juicy prize in their sights - a testament to the friendship between Navarr and the orcs of the Great Forest makes it an irresistable target to the the Druj.

With the destruction of the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak_(Ruined)|Holt of the Oak]], Peakedge Song is protected only by distance. The Highborn are a people who set great stock by sturdy stone constructions, especially castles and forts. They are very concerned that without defence, it is only a matter of time before someone or something destroys the hospital. If the Druj do not manage it, then the vallorn might do it when the [[A thousand years of longing|hearts are brought together]] and abominations pour out of [[Therunin#Sweetglades|Sweetglades]].

The Navarr themselves are not great builders of fortifications - their steadings are strong but they are very far from castles - but they have friends who are. The [[Vigilant Swan]] gives the Highborn access to the white granite needed to construct a castle. The pilgrims also point out that there is a measure of [[Vigilance]] in helping to defend Therunnin - if the territory falls entirely and Peakedge Stead is destroyed then High Chalcis itself will likely tbe the next target for the orcs of the Mallum. Alternatively, the [[Great Forest Orcs]] could likely be prevailed on to build a fortification from weirwood much as they did with the Holt of the Oak; they have an investment of their own in Peakedge Stead, and their own reasons to want to protect Therunin from the Druj.

Of course, a fortification may prove unnecessary. The Druj might be driven out of Therunin at any moment. When the vallorn of Tharunind rises, Imperial armies might be able to protect Peakedge Stead. But, even without any special scheme by the Druj, if they were able to conquer Peakedge Song it is inconceivable they would not destroy Peakedge Stead, and the apothecary college, in the process.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Keeper of the Garden.png|caption='''Aerowen Embercast''', first Keeper of the Garden|align=left|width=250}}</div>
==In the Garden==
* '''The briars previously working the Garden of Glory have disappeared'''
* '''The Keeper of the Garden will receive 12 doses of liao each season'''
* '''The Garden is under serious threat from both Druj and vallorn'''
Shortly before the Summer Solstice 383YE, the briars of the Lower Tarn Valley - allies of the Great Forest Orcs – [[Long_walk_home#Liao_garden|were granted permission]] by the Senate to refine their own [[liao]] in an old liao garden located on the edge of Sweetglades, in the far south of the Lower Tarn Valley. '''Aerowen Embercast''' served ably as the first [[Keeper of the Garden]], and the briars were happy to provide six doses of liao in return for keeping half that was produced from their efforts.

The briars have gone, now. It's not known if they were killed at Dourfell Keep, if they were slaughtered during the Druj invasion of the Tarn Valley, or if they escaped to safety in the Eaves of Peytaht. The fact remains that they are no longer here and show no sign of returning. Highborn pilgrims visiting Therunin, and their Navarr guides, found the garden abandoned. It wasn't ransacked by the Druj, nothing was broken or destroyed - it was simply empty. The tools and planting beds are neatly maintained, and it shows little sign of the taint of the poisoned waters.

With the briars gone, Navarr herbalists and priests will move in and take their place. The [[Keeper of the Garden]] will receive ''all'' the liao produced in the garden – twelve doses going forward. It's notable that the garden is under serious threat from both the Druj and the vallorn; if either force invades the Lower Tarn Valley again it's unlikely that the garden would survive a second time.

==A Peerless Future==
* '''This season was the final opportunity for the Highborn Assembly to express their peerless kinship with another nation'''
* '''The Highborn Assembly could potentially embrace this new approach to their Imperial siblings, but doing so would require a significant sacrifice'''
The capacity to support other nations by expressing their kinship has run it's course. The movement began in 384YE, [[Full_of_sacred_sound#A_Peerless_Kinship|in response to the mandate suggested by Eli, the aging custodian of Walter's Tomb]] that was so effectively [[384YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_79|taken up by Jared of the Sons of Couros]]. Eli recently passed away, his soul gone to the Labyrinth, but he lived long enough to see Highguard take up the ideas he championed. By all accounts, he died well satisfied by what the nation had achieved in the years that followed, confident that he had done his part in helping to set the Empire on a more virtuous path.

The last two years have seen the Highborn explore ways to [[Questions_of_virtue#Our_Freeborn_Cousins|aid the Freeborn]] in [[Kahraman]]; aiding the [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Not to conquer|reach out to the factions]] in [[the Barrens]]; working with the [[Imperial Orcs]] in [[Skarsind]] to [[Standing in the sun|increase understanding of the Ossium septs]]; and helped [[the Marches]] [[Kith and kin|deal with threats]] in the [[Mournwold]]. Reaching out to their sibling nations has presented many opportunities for the Highborn to strengthen the Empire, and sometimes themselves.

There are some who see the peerless kinship as a valuble tool not only for building the Empire but for fortifying the virtue of Imperial citizens. They suggest that if the Highborn Assembly agree with them, they might address the matter with a [[statement of principle]] at the Winter Solstice. If it received a greater majority, it might lead to an opportunity to permanently gain the power of peerless kinship. More cautious voices suggest that valuable as it is to reach out to other nations, the peerless kinship requires a significant amount of focus and organisation and that if the assembly did embrace the power permanently, they would inevitably need to sacrifice something of equivalent commitment.
==Further Reading==
* [[Under eastern skies]] - 386YE Winter wind of war covering the victory of the Druj in Therunin
* [[Blood and mire]] - 396YE Autumn wind of war about the Imperial counterattack
* [[Ashes#Ring_of_Ashes]] - 386YE Summer wind of war heralding the coming of the Druj

Sift the Dreamscape's Sands

2025-03-13T14:09:59Z

Rosemary: /* Assurance */

{{CaptionedImage|file=Dreamscape.jpg |title=The Dreamscape is a specific location in the Night Realm of distinctly protean aspect.|caption=The ritual provides dreams of an exotic, phantasmal land that<br>grant magical insight and inspiration.|align=left|width=400}}
==Rules==
{{Season|Night|20}}
===Performing the Ritual===
{{Casting time|2}} {{Target Character}} The target character must have the [[Magical skills#Magician|magician]] skill.

During the performance the target must eat or drink a ritually prepared consumable such as a goblet of wine or fruit-juice, a square of chocolate or a mushroom. This may even be a special item such as a potion or drug; in such cases the special item will have its normal effects.

{{enchantment}}
===Effects===
Whenever the target character sleeps overnight they will experience vivid dreams. At sunrise each morning, the target gains an intuitive understanding of a single [[Magical skills#Ritual Magic|realm lore]] of their choice. This provides an additional rank of effective lore for purposes of performing rituals, subject to the [[Realm_Lore#Gaining_additional_ranks|normal rules for effective skill]]. Furthermore, they can choose to change the lore the bonus applies to each morning after they awaken. In essence, the [[enchantment]] gives the target an additional rank of Realm lore the day ''after'' it is performed, and allows it to be changed first thing in the morning after a night's sleep. It is not possible to gain or change the bonus earlier by having a nap.

While the enchantment lasts, the character experiences a [[roleplaying effect]]: ''Colours appear more vivid, scents and tastes feel more intense, and on the edge of hearing you occasionally hear a sound like a murmuring crowd, a windy forest, or the crashing of waves on a beach. These sensations return and fade at dramatically appropriate moments, and may occasionally become overwhelming.''

If the target is a naga, the roleplaying effect is especially pronounced. A naga may also choose to temporarily add to or increase physical trappings of their lineage. These changes are temporary and do not last more than a few hours after the enchantment ends.

If the target does not sleep and dream for at least six hours they do not gain the benefit of the ritual. A character under an effect that significantly impedes sleeping or dreaming, or that provides specific dreams as part of its magic, removes the bonus provided by the enchantment. This includes [[curse|curses]] such as [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]], the effects of potions or magic items such as [[Tisanes_of_the_Labyrinth#Shadowcrow Infusion|Shadowcrow Infusion]] or a [[Shackle of the Unvirtuous]], or having one's dreams [[Dedication#Dreams|guided by a priest]] using [[liao]]. The enchantment does not end prematurely - the character simply cannot apply the bonus rank of ritual lore the following day. If in doubt about whether you would receive your bonus rank or not, consult a referee.

{{Season Duration}}

===Additional Targets===
This ritual can affect additional characters from the same [[Groups#Covens|coven]]. Each additional character increases the magnitude by 15. Additional characters must be present throughout, and must consume the same type of preparation (drink the same liquid, eat the same kind of food or whatever). Each target may apply the bonus rank to a different realm lore.

===Assurance===
This ritual grants an intuitive understanding of magical lores and, as with other such rituals, draws on the power of an [[eternal]]. In this case, the eternal is [[Sung]], the Feathered Serpent. The [[Ritual_theory#Agreement|assurance]] of this ritual remains a mystery. During the Winter of 386YE, members of the Unfettered Mind completed an exhaustive review of those rituals in Imperial lore, recovering and publicising the assurances and eternals associated with them. With ''Sift the Dreamscape's Sands'', however, they were unable to find anything concrete beyond the identity of the eternal involved.

One of their number, ''Joan of Hick's Farm'' cautiously proposed that it might be possible to get this information from Sung themselves, but warned that the Liege of Mysteries can be an unpredictable eternal when it comes to these kinds of queries, and that any request might raise more questions than it answers.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px;"><quote>
'''The Dreamscape'''<br>
The dreams experienced while under this enchantment take place in a strange, dark, place of lost secrets; dunes and valleys of dust and tumbled stones, littered with ancient tablets, strange containers, looming towers of alien aspect and great, trailing metal chains roping from place to place. It is always night time, and immense white moths drift across the moon far above (when there is a moon), beyond the reach of even the most persistent dreamer. In the distance, great mountains rear up toward the sky that dwarf anything in the waking world - sometimes it seems as if they are tall enough that the moon passes between them and the dreamer.

Scattered through the dreamscape are oases of colour and wonder; patches of lush jungle inhabited by loquacious tigers, erudite pythons and garrulous rainbow-hued birds surrounding clear crystalline pools. The boughs of the trees creak with heavy, succulent fruit. Many ritualists warn the dreamers not to eat the fruit, because the experience (which can never quite be recalled) invites comparison with every ''other'' taste. Those who eat the fruit of dreams food and drink in the waking world to be a little disappointing in comparison.

Sifting through the sand and picking over the ruins of the dreamscape of lost secrets can provide incredible insight, but that insight is fleeting. While a dreamer may recall reading a tome of magic, or deciphering a ritual in a long-dead language, they can never remember the specifics on awakening.

On rare occasions, someone who is undergoing the dreams provided by this ritual simply disappears. The only explanation is that they consider the dream world to be superior to the material world, and choose to stay there forever. Very rarely, dreamers claim to have encountered figures in the dreamworld that resemble and believe themselves to be, magicians who have experienced this ritual and chosen to stay behind.</quote></div>

==Description==
This ritual uncovers secret and mysterious lore, and provides an intuitive understanding of the magic of one of the six Realms. The vivid, almost hallucinogenic dreams that it causes are remembered with utter lucidity. Comparing stories of those who have experienced the dream, there seem to be many common elements, supporting belief that the ritual connects the dreamers to a specific mental 'place'.

If the ritual is performed on a group, they share the same dream experience. They can converse, and details of the dream when they are all together seem to match up. If they separate for even a few moments, however, they are unable to locate one another again and experience solitary dreams from then on.

A lot of speculation exists around this ritual. The acknowledged Imperial expert on the shared dreamscape accessed by this magic, the [[Varushka|Varushkan]] magician '''Simargl, the Empty One,''' is the latest in a long line of [[Night magic]] masters who have made extensive explorations of this ritual. It is clear that it is not simply a dream - it is very different from the mundane dreams mortals experience when they sleep. Experiencing the dreams provided by this ritual leaves many dreamers with the impression that their sleeping minds are somehow visiting a specific place - albeit a vast, shifting place whose landmarks change and move around seemingly at random.

A common belief among students of Night magic is that the dreamscape is the domain of some unknown and mysterious [[eternal]] - perhaps one of the creatures encountered in the oases, perhaps the ruined city or the forest itself. Night eternals are protean, after all, and change their appearance as they see fit. Regardless, nobody has yet encountered an eternal believably connected to this ritual, nor a herald that claims to represent it. Whilst this ritual is tied to the [[Sung|Night Singer]], there is nothing to suggest that the dreamscape is their domain - it is all too possible that Sung simply opens a metaphorical door and allows a magician access to the dreamscape.

The nature of the domain tied to this ritual is shifting, unpredictable, and seems to defy easy classification. Attempts to physically visit it, gain concrete information about it or from it, or to use it to send messages or arrange meetings using ritual magic, have proved universally unsuccessful.

The power of the enchantment is disrupted by a number of things that interfere with sleeping or dreaming. There seem to be some exceptions; some oneiric drugs actually seem to make the dreams experienced as part of the enchantment more vivid. It also seems that the [[excommunication]] ceremony, which normally prevents dreaming, does not interfere with the effectiveness of this ritual, something that both puzzles and intrigues magical scholars.

==Common Elements==
The key component of this ritual is the food or drink used to inspire the dream-like state. Wine or fruit-juice mixed with soporific herbs are common, but some ritualists prefer honeyed milk. Chocolate and sweets are also used - anything with a strong taste, preferably something a little luxurious. When the ritual is performed all the targets consume a little of the same substance, which links their dreams together. The substance may be prepared during the ritual, or consumed at the start and the ritual performed as it takes its slow effect.

The ritualists are usually masked, cowled or veiled, and there is often slow, dreamy music. The ritualists might describe the elements of the dreamscape, offering advice and warnings about the mysterious place the dreamers will visit, or they may weave tales of wonder and arabesque adventure. Incense is commonly burnt, the more strongly-scented the better.

Mirrors are often used as part of this ritual. Some ritualists capture the reflection of the targets with the intention that if they become lost in the dream they can find their way back by remembering the mirror, and the more distinctive it is the better.

The runes [[Diras]] and [[Wyr]] are a common element, as are scenes of wonder and imagination and the constellation of [[The Door]].

==OOC Notes about the Dreamscape==
You should feel free to create details of your vivid, lucid dream using the information presented here as a starting point. A referee will not provide additional specific information about the dream beyond what is presented here. The dreams tend to include elements symbolic of, or directly referring to, the specific realm of magic the player intends their character to gain extra affinity with. A character might intentionally seek out a specific lore, or might roleplay that they are wandering and letting their dream guide them - the end result is the same.

If you ever want to retire a character who has this ritual, then you can choose to have had them disappear while casting this ritual. If you do this, please, let us know for our campaign notes. Likewise, when you are the target of this ritual you may choose to disappear during the period between time out and time in the next morning. Again, please let a referee know and they will help you retire the character.

The dreamscape is a specific location, apparently in the night realm. It is ''not'' a place where people go while sleeping, but a location that is visited as the consequence of this ritual. Attempts to interact with the dreamscape using an [[Spontaneous_magic#Arcane_Projection|arcane projection]] is likely to be tricky, given that its [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Essence|essence]] seems to be a complete mystery to mortal magicians.

It is worth noting that the Winter ritual [[Dreamscape of the Endless Hunt]] is not connected to this ritual, or the strange magical space it explores - the names are simply coincidentally similar.

[[Category:Night Ritual]]
[[Category:Rituals]]

Eastern Sky

2025-02-23T16:00:22Z

Rosemary: /* Favour of Barien */

{{Army Page}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=EasternSky_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}
===Overview===
Fighting beneath an emerald green banner bearing the golden image of the rising sun, before the Gryphon's Pride was reformed the Eastern Sky was the youngest of the Dawnish armies. It has a long and proud tradition of defending the Dawnish heartlands from orcish aggression. They receive regular supplies from the people of Dawn; both civilians and soldiers alike possess a great deal of pride in the [[Eastern Sky]] and the families and descendants of those who have fought beneath the banner are fierce in their support. Many of the soldiers of the Eastern Sky have a particular hatred for the [[Druj]] barbarians; traditionally they are first to see the carnage the cruel orcs leave behind when they manage to gain access to an Imperial village.

The third Dawnish general leads the Eastern Sky, and is appointed (or re-appointed) at the Autumn equinox each year.

===History===
TBC
__TOC__
TBC
====Recent History====
TBC

===Traditions===
TBC
==Composition==
TBC
==Army Quality : Favoured==
Originally renown for the [[Army_qualities#Resourceful|support of the people of Dawn]] the army now benefits from the patronage of several Regents of Summer. Originally [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Swords_and_Sorcery|proposed]] just before the Autumn Equinox 384YE the [[Earl#Enchanters|enchantresses]] of Dawn opted to request the favour of the [[Eleonaris|Summer Lion]], the [[Cathan Canae|Queen of Ice and Darkness]], the [[Meraud|Lord of Summer Stars]], the [[Barien|Knight of the Crossroads]], and the [[Rhianos|Regent of the Eternal Sea]]. At present the general can call on the favours of [[#Favour of Barien|Barien]], [[#Favour of Eleonaris|Eleonaris]], and [[#Favour of Meraud|Meraud]].
<div class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed">
===Favour of Eleonaris===
<box><big>'''Triumphant Charge'''</big><br>
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is increased by two-fifths.'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by one fifth.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by half.'''
A general who unleashes their troops in a triumphant charge seeks great victory, but pays a great price. The army confronts the strongest enemy troops and the most defended positions, and attempts to rout them. Individual soldiers and companies engage in valiant attacks, employing risky tactics to defeat their opponents. The army will gain much more ground, but does so at the cost of increased casualties.
</box>

===Favour of Meraud===
<box><big>'''Arcane Consolidation'''</big><br>
* '''The army generates mana crystals based on the number of victory points generated.'''
* '''Does not change army strength, casualties inflicted or casualties suffered.'''
The army concentrates on making magical preparations, shoring up their reserves of mana crystals and seeking out nearby sources of magic. A portion of this bounty in the form of mana crystals is passed to the army general so that they can make the most appropriate use of it.</box>

===Favour of Cathan Canae===
*'''Cathan Canae is intrigued to be invited to aid the army, and while she could be encouraged to do so with a [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Cathan Canae's Favour|statue build in Dawnguard]], she can also be convinced by the National Assembly of Dawn [[#Splendour_of_the_White_Bear|enacting a mandate]].'''
<box>'''<big>Embrace the Storm</big>'''<br>
* '''Surrounded by storms and blizzards, the army can only move a single territory this season.'''
* '''The ability of this army to defend territory is increased by two fifths.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''Casualties inflicted by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''This is a defending order.'''
With Cathan Canae's favour, the General of the Eastern Sky could order their army to embrace the storm. Hail storms and icy blizzards would greet the army wherever they went, reducing their movement to a single territory this season, but making any region they defend much more difficult to conquer, increasing their ability to defend territory by two fifths. In battle the freezing snow and chilling winds would bring death, increasing the casualties suffered by this army and the casualties inflicted by them by a fifth.</box>
====Splendour of the White Bear====
* '''Dawn can secure Cathan Canae's favour by urging their armies to commit entirely when they take part in a defensive action'''
Cathan Canae endures, and expects others to do the same. A statue built in a liberated Dawnguard would certainly win her support, but there is an alternative. According to one of her heralds, sent to speak with the [[troubadour|troubadours]] of [[Dawn]], she would be prepared to grant her favour to the Eastern Sky if the people of Dawn were to align themselves more strongly with her preferred methods of waging war. The troubadours have put their heads together and with the aid of the Civil Service proposed the following [[mandate]] that would honour the Queen of Ice and Darkness, arguably better than any statue,
{{Mandate|mandate=A great life leaves a legend, and the soul cannot be armoured. When we stand against our enemies, We should do so as an unbreakable wall of ice and adamant. We send (named priest) with 75 doses of liao to spread tales of glorious defence and urge all those who fight beneath our banners to become as immovable as the mountain.|assembly=Dawn National Assembly}}
If this mandate is enacted, then going forward no [[general]] of Dawn will be able to issue the [[Army_orders#Give_Ground|Give Ground]] or [[Army_orders#Solid_Defence|Solid Defence]] orders; if they do they will instead default to [[Army_orders#Heroic Stand|Heroic Stand]]. They would still be able to issue special defensive orders that arise from qualities or opportunities but in the normal course of a campaign they will attempt to give as little ground as possible when they defend a territory. If this mandate is enacted, Cathan Canae will grant her boon to the Eastern Sky - removing the effects at a later date are likely to incur the eternal's displeasure.
===Favour of Barien===
* '''Dame Aurum de Castellan has completed their Challenge from the Iron Duke and so Barien happily supports the Eastern Sky'''
<box><big>'''Traverse the Crossroads'''</big><br>
* '''Can move up to five territories this season. It must still stop moving when it enters a hostile territory.'''
* '''Casualties suffered by this army are increased by a fifth'''
* '''This is an attacking order.'''
With Barien's favour, the General of the Eastern Sky could order their army to traverse the crossroads. The soldiers take advantage of Barien's aid to [[Army_orders#Movement|move]] swiftly with the aid of summer magic. Roads seem shorter than people remember them and they always travel in the direction the army wishes to go. Sometimes they may even make use of summer [[regio]] to gain strength for their journey, or to enjoy the hospitality of the inhabitants and wash the weariness of the road away. Such expedited travel is dangerous - the army may quickly move beyond its supply lines - but allows the army to travel with uncommon speed.</box>

===Favour of Rhianos===
* '''Rhianos can still be [[Down_the_cavalier_road#Rhianos' Favour|honoured with a statue]], constructing a fane for him at the Tournament Grounds of Laroc, or rebuilding the Tower of the Manticore'''
<box><big>'''Seek the Greatest Prize'''</big>
* '''The ability of this army to capture territory is reduced by one fifth.'''
* '''The army generates wealth based on the number of victory points generated.'''
* '''This is an attacking order'''
The army looks for and takes opportunities for risky, dangerous adventures while fighting in a territory. They strike into enemy territory, taking chances that might lead to both opportunities to secure valuable items and create glorious stories for the troubadours. The [[general]] will receive a share of the bounty they secure in the form of wains of [[mithril]], [[weirwood]], and [[white granite]], rings of [[ilium]], and more mundane loot such as money, ingots and measures, herbs, mana crystals or vis, and even potentially ribboned items.</box>
</div>

{{CaptionedImage|file=Aurum8565.png||caption=Dame Aurum De Castellan, General of the Eastern Sky|align=left|width=250}}
{{RecentElections|General_of_the_Eastern_Sky|the title of [[General]] of the Eastern Sky}}
[[Category:Imperial Army]][[Category:Dawn]][[Category:Military Council]]

Blood and mire

2025-02-15T16:30:53Z

Rosemary: /* Objective: Stop the Blood Drainers coven */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Autumn]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Blood and mire.jpg|caption=War comes to Therunin, to the land of willow and mangrove, marsh and swamp.|align=right|width=600}}</div>{{audio|link= https://youtu.be/S4LALHi1sU4?si=xsm2Y5uNW1tZsn0z}}
==Shadow of the Mallum==
<div style="float: right; width: 350px;"><box>A PDF file of this wind is available [[:File:Blood and mire.pdf|here]]</box></div>
Following the Spring Equinox, the [[Druj]] launched a terrible assault against the [[Navarr]] territory of [[Therunin]]. Tens of thousands of orc warriors poured over the border from the marshes of [[Sarangrave]] into [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]]. From there they spread south and west, conquering the lakeside regions of [[Therunin#East Ashes|East Ashes]] and seizing the [[Therunin#The_Docks_at_Feverwater|Feverwater Docks]] and the fortified [[steading]] there.
__TOC__
Despite a valiant effort, they smashed the [[Therunin#Holt_of_the_Oak|Holt of the Oak]], and set about slaughtering every Navarr and especially every [[Great Forest Orcs]] that fell into their hands. Only the [[Kaela#The_Gift_of_Kaela|Gift of Kaela]] offered any escape from a tormented, torturous death. Those who embrace that tragic boon are gone forever; their bodies will not rest in the funeral groves of the Navarr and their spirits will not return as ghosts. It is to be hoped that their souls at least are safe in the Labyrinth, or in the [[Beliefs_of_the_Great_Forest#Spirits_and_Trees|embrace of the Great Forest]].

Tens of thousands of Druj, and among them the wicked sorcerers of the Tainted Basilisk – powerful ritual magicians whose mastery of the arts of Night and Spring allows them to raise wards and defences in East Ashes and Eastring, to try and stamp the dominion of the Druj on the Navarr lands. At the same time, the [[Rivers of Life]] are called and merge into the waters of Therunin – and there is a ''lot'' of water in Therunin – ensuring that any warrior who is not slain by the defenders will be [[Rivers of Life|whole of body]] by the next dawn. And, as such unconstrained [[Spring magic|Spring magics]] so often do, causing the [[vallorn]] to stir in its fitful centuries-long slumber...

Then, during the Summer Solstice, Imperial heroes used the [[Sentinel Gate]] to [[Ashes#Poison_and_Ashes_(Battle_Opportunity)|launch a desperate assault]] against Druj forces passing through the [[Therunin#Lower Tarn Valley|Lower Tarn Valley]]. The [[orc|orcs]] of [[the Mallum]] bore with them a deadly weapon-of-war, the [[Ashes#Objective:_Prevent_the_use_of_the_Sephals_Cauldron|Sephals Cauldron]], which contained a terrible cursed brew of poison and venom intended to seep into the waters of Therunin and spread north to taint the lake at [[The Barrens#Hope's Rest|Hope's Rest]] in [[the Barrens]]. Despite brave efforts, it proved impossible to capture the cauldron, but Imperial heroes were able to overturn it during the battle. Its abominable tincture sank into the earth, vile tendrils creeping out in all directions to bring ruin to the Tarn Valley. At least Hope's Rest is safe, for now.
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj1.jpg|caption=A great host of Druj seeks to dominate the marshy forests of Therunin.|align=right|width=350}}</div>
==Venom and Spite==
When they came as a terrible tide, the Druj swept into Therunin with remorseless fervour. A wave of warriors, smashing everything in their path. Now, their strategy has changed. They must know that Imperial forces will not allow them to claim Therunin – that the Navarr alone would stop at nothing to protect their steadings. Where their initial assault was overwhelming in its nature, the armies of the Mallum now shift to a more considered, careful approach. Not falling back onto the defensive – not while there are still lands to seize and Navarr to slaughter – but more measured. More prone to retreat, regroup, and attack from a different direction rather than surge forward to drown those who stand against them.

It is always difficult to assess the numbers of the Druj. They are masters of stealth and skirmish, adept at misdirection and deception. Yet they are also proud, and their banners give some hint as to which forces are present. There are signs that there are more Druj in Therunin than there were last season – the serpent-and-sword banners of the Deadly Blade, the twining brambles of the Thorn Born, the plain green-or-yellow fields of colour that herald the arrival of the treacherous warriors of the Hidden Widow. At least three more armies than were here last season, perhaps more.

The bulk of the Druj forces assay a careful, probing strategy. Warbands of scouts press forward through the Tarn Valley, some even reaching the eastern steadings of [[Therunin#Peakedge Song|Peakedge Song]]. Where they encounter resistance they strike swiftly, trying to kill their opponents before they realise they are being attacked, and if that initial assault fails, they fade back into the trees and marshes. Every warrior wields envenomed weapons, and they make great use of potions and philtres to seize the advantage over those they fight.

There are exceptions however. The Hunting Scorpion, true to their name, are everywhere. Swift [[Army qualities#Skirmishing|skirmishers]], they identify steadings with stronger-than-normal defences and without warning fall on them from all directions seeking to overwhelm their walls. The Poison Crane, beneath their predatory marsh-bird standards, fight beside them actively seeking out defenders who might prove to be a challenge to the Druj advance and focusing all their efforts on killing as many warriors as they can, clearly less concerned with conquering Therunin than they are with murdering as many of its inhabitants as they can.

Great use is made of the wards the Tainted Basilisk have raised – the forests of Eastring and the marshes of East Ashes alike conspire to aid the orcs in their attack. It is no surprise to see the heralds of [[Arhallogen]] alongside a Druj force – although there seem to be fewer than before – but there are also grim masked shadows that emerge from the darkness under the trees to fight with the Druj armies before fading away once the fighting is done.

Several of the armies are also clearly [[enchantment|enchanted]], bearing boons that help them to find and slay those trying to flee their advance or hide from their forces. Relentless, ruthless, merciless. Spring magic at odds with the ''Rivers of Life'' that nonetheless leaves a trail of blood and sorrow in the wake of the Mallum armies.
{{CaptionedImage|file=BlackThornsGeneral.jpg|caption=Rhisiart Dancewalker, General of the Black Thorns|align=left|width=250}}
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Rhisiart Dancewalker, General of the Black Thorns">Blackthorns! We march east to the smoke pillars of Therunin. To the steading of Eastring then East Ashes via the Barrens. I call upon the spear of the Pines. To our banners as we retrace our home via steady reconquest. Invoke the flame of Khol to burn back the Druj with extreme prejudice, leave nothing but silence in your wake.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Vallack, War-Chief of the Great Forest Orcs">Our allies fight to drive the Druj from their home. Both our peoples have suffered the malice of the Druj. They fought beside us to reclaim the Eaves of Peytaht. Who would we be, if we did not raise our spears to fight alongside them?</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Marcus Barossa Di Tassato, General of the Towerjacks">Towerjacks, the Druj have returned to Imperial lands. We shall prove that the very land rejects their presence. Take the trees and build great walls, use the earth to ensure they cannot advance. Do as only the Towerjacks can, steel guard our bodies, virtue guard our souls!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Zoran De Orzel, General of the Golden Sun">Glorious Knights of the Golden Sun. We march to Therunin to support the Navarri. We will make a grinding advance through the territory avoiding the now poisonous Lower Tarn Valley. We have pushed the Druj out of our home. Now out of Loyalty. Let us push the m out of Therunin.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Archavion Wolfborne, General of the Gryphon's Pride">Gryphon's Pride, the Druj have returned as we predicted. This plague on Imperial citizens and threat to our faith cannot go unanswered, so I call upon you to march with me with loyalty to aid Navarr. I command you to protect Imperial Lives, the families, the children, the weak & those who cannot defend themselves. We will charge into the horde and remind the Druj why they fear us. courage and Glory to you all!</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Alderei the Fair, General of the Iron Helms">Loyal Schlacta of Varushka, the Drums of war never cease. We march on Therunin with steady conquest to reclaim the land & remind the Druj why they run from our dogs & hide from our fury</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><quote by="Jaromir Ostrovyn Kostka, General of the Northern Eagle">Ancient boughs and murderous beasts; Therunin welcome us just as the forests of home would. Advance boldly, Northern Eagle, for the Druj blight our Empire once more. Hold dear your oaths and fear no malice, for we are the Pride of Varushka and our banner is held ever high. Aid our Navarr Cousins and show their fearful allies that we stand between them and the Druj, no matter how they might see us. Not for thanks, not for glory; we march for Imperial hearths, Imperial homes, and Imperial destiny.</quote></div>
==No Mercy==
They know the Empire is coming, and come it does. Six Imperial armies from across the Empire, with the [[Black Thorns]] as their vanguard. The [[Golden Sun]] and the [[Gryphon's Pride]] come south from the Barrens; the [[Northern Eagle]] and the [[Iron Helms]] close on their heels come down from [[Ossium]]; and the [[Towerjacks]] making good time as they push up through [[Morrow#Altis|Altis]] into Peakedge Song. Thirty thousand soldiers, give or take.

Twelve thousand warriors led by the heroes of the Empire, [[military unit|warbands]] predominantly of the Navarr, rally to the banners of the Black Thorns, ready to drive the Druj from Therunin whatever the cost. Another thousand are scattered between the other armies, answering the call to fight for the Empire.

Out of the Barrens, a great force of [[orc|orcs]] come to fight alongside the Black Thorns. A thousand Great Forest Orcs, the Spears of the Pines, raised to aid their neighbours, their allies and friends. They are as merciless as any Varushkan, as any Navarr, when it comes to fighting the Druj. They have a thousand years of debt to be repaid, quite apart from the more recent slaughter of their people at the hands of the current invasion. It would be easy for their presence to cause friction between the armies, given the presence of Dawnish and the Varushkans, but the orcs are scrupulous in simply avoiding them. They stick with the Black Thorns, and follow their lead.

Three champions of the Summer Realm, lieutenants of [[Eleonaris]], have been called forth by Imperial magic, brought to the eastern marshes to face the Druj. They are eager for the battle; Lady Moriamis, golden-eyed warrior-poet and her cohort of warsingers join the Golden Sun, inspiring their fellow knights to acts of heroism and glory. With the Northern Eagle comes Ser Gaspare, wearing the head and skin of a great white bear as a cloak over her crimson plate, whose proud ''schlacta'' lock their adamant shields into an unbreakable bulwark against spears and arrows. And with the Black Thorns, Mistress Malachie, a relentless war-witch huntress who once served Hayaak and now fights under the lion banners of Eleonaris. Six thousand [[Knights of Glory]], who it seems despise the cowardly, treacherous Druj even more than the Empire does.

The Empire is no stranger to the strategies of the Druj, to the traps they lay and the ambushes they prepare for the unwary. Their tactics match those of the Mallum – steady, careful, cautious, considered. This is not a battlefield for reckless charges or risky gambits. The Black Thorns and the Iron Helms set the tempo for the fight, paying close attention to the advice of their [[Surgical skills#Physick|physicks]] and battlefield healers. Even with the ''Rivers of Life'', a poisoned or tainted wound might still cripple a warrior, still bring unexpected death from an injury dismissed as minor.

The Northern Eagle move more quickly, eager to fight the Druj and push them out of Therunin. Yet even these doughty Varushkan warriors know not to take too many risks – there are veterans of the war in Ossium among them who keep keen eyes peeled for signs of flanking attacks or opportunities that are too good to be true.

Dawn's armies focus their efforts on securing the land the Druj have taken. The Gryphon's Pride [[Army_qualities#Conquering|push forward]] into lands where the orcs are known to have set up their command posts, aided by the [[Day magic]] [[enchantment]] that lets them [[Clarity of the Master Strategist|anticipate]] even the obfuscated strategies of the stealthy orcs and adjust their tactics to match. The Golden Sun spread out behind the Imperial lines, [[Army_qualities#Resilient|rooting out the hidden Druj]] planning to attack from behind, ensuring that the land ''behind'' the front is safe.

While the majority of the Imperial force is on the attack, the Towerjacks are more concerned with fortifying and bolstering the steadings. If things go wrong, and the Druj not only face the Imperial attack but turn it back, thousands of people will be endangered. They [[Army_qualities#Engineer|dig in]], turning their engineering expertise to the task of building temporary defences. A great spiked palisade is thrown up around the hospital-steading of Peakedge Stand. They prepare traps, and build barricades, around the settlements of the Tarn Valley, both orc and human, and establish supply caches and watchposts wherever they can. Moving with remarkable speed and acuity, they seem to know exactly where to apply their genius to the best effect. Their fortifications are temporary but will provide an invaluable advantage in the months to come.

==Clash and Fray==
Two great forces facing each other across the Lower Tarn Valley. Both sides eager to fight. The orcs pushing west to take the rest of Therunin. The Empire pushing east, seeking to drive them out.

There is no one great landmark battle in the months the two sides battle over the marshes of lower Therunin. The war is too fluid, the strategies at play too shifting. It would be hard to map where the line of battle is on any given day, even with a map, even with the omniscient view of a great eye in the sky. When the Druj assail a steading ''here'', the Empire destroys a major encampment ''there''. Where the Poison Crane butcher a scouting party in the north, the Gryphon's Pride encircles and annihilates a band of skirmishers in the south. There is a very real fear that a season of fighting will see thousands dead and neither side victorious.

But little by little, the Empire gains the upper hand. Slowly, slowly, the Druj begin to fall back further than they advance. Inch by inch the Druj cede more of the Tarn valley to the Empire, slipping back into Eastring, toward the Sarangrave. Eventually the last major Druj camp is located and broken, their presence in the Lower Valley excised. It is something of a pyrrhic victory – the poison that has seeped into the land here is already beginning to make its presence felt, killing trees, befouling pools and streams, only the ongoing power of the Rivers of Life slowing its spread through the waters of the region.

Terrible as this is, it is a problem for the future. The challenge now is to try and drive the Druj out of Therunin altogether.

If anything the fighting in Eastring is even more vicious, more brutal, more unforgiving than the fighting in the Lower Tarn Valley. The Druj must know that if they lose control of the eastern forests, they will be left with only two choices; to withdraw east into Sarangrave or south into East Ashes. In the latter case, they will be trapped in Therunin, between the vallorn and the Feverwater, unable to escape without pushing south into the forests of [[Zenith#Lustri|Lustri]], and there is no guarantee that if they do so they will be victorious. The Druj are cruel, and savage, but they are also cowardly. Most likely they will abandon their attempts to seize Therunin rather than risk another trap like the one that saw their numbers decimated during the liberation of Zenith.
<div style="float:left; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Alderei2855.jpg||caption=Even the battle-hardened Varushkans are not entirely prepared for the creeping horror as Eastring becomes a charnel ground.|align=left|width=300}}</div>
==The Horror==
The [[Druj_lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] have wrapped the marshes of Eastring with [[Night magic]] wards. There is talk of sucking quagmires, that eagerly embrace those who stumble or fall, sucking them down into lightless crushing depths with unnatural speed. Of glowing mists that rise without warning, flooding through the trees like an oncoming tide, muffling all sound and reducing visibility to barely an arm's length, but which do not impede the bloodthirsty orc ambushers who move silently through them to kill and maim. Of people getting lost barely a dozen feet from their own camp. Of flitting figures with razor-smiles and razor-knives. It is nothing new to encounter odd beasts with too many legs in the marches of Therunin, but never in the past have they spoken with human voices, mocking and threatening, or possessed such facility for laying deadly ambushes.

Eastring becomes charnel ground, the waters turning red with spilled blood. The sun itself turns its face away, heavy clouds rolling in from the east and presaging a thunderous downpour that lasts nearly a week as if the sky itself is weeping to see the slaughter. All told, nearly two thousand Imperial soldiers die in Eastring alone, more than three times as many brave souls as fell to clear the invaders from the Tarn Valley. So many bodies, fallen in the densely wooded marshes, lost in the poisoned waters of the lower valley, never to be found by either side. Denied the rites and ceremonies their sacrifice earned, it is no surprise that an aura of dread begins to settle over Eastring as the season draws on, something beyond the strangeness of Night magic wound around the region like a choking noose.

Scouts talk of encountering lost patrols, sheltering from the rains in bloodied canvas. Of spending a night at cold campfires speaking with knights, and thorns, and warriors strangely dazed and confused, scared and afraid, and in the morning finding no sign of them save their empty tents. Of dead orcs whose gnashing teeth chatter and snap at any who come near; even removing their heads does nothing to silence them and in the end half-mad soldiers have to bury them in the thick mud to quiet their terrible cacophony. Of steadings abandoned by the orcs but hung with the bones and bodies of those who gave their lives to try and defend them, their corpses so decayed and flyblown as to make mundane identification impossible yet still somehow showing the signs of their excruciation. A reminder that there are those who do not trust the gifts of Kaela, perhaps.

Two thousand dead Imperials, and perhaps as many again dead orcs. A harvest of blood and terror. The ghosts of those who fall fighting join those who were killed during the first months of the invasion, and even when the Druj are gone their presence will linger beneath the still pools, beneath the dark boughs, of Eastring. Imperial and Druj ghosts, haunting the battlefield where they fell to darkness, bitter and hateful.

While many feel the horror sinking into their blood, the cold dread nestling in their breasts, others embrace the fear. This is a reminder of what the Druj are. Of why they must be stopped, of why their hold over the Mallum must be broken. In a way, the marshy woodlands of Eastring become a warning of how the Druj would remake the world, if the Empire does not stop them, does not turn back their tide.
==Clouds Break==
In the end, all the horror and the dread does not save the Druj. The Empire continues to press them. Their own strategies in a way betray them – too eager perhaps to fall back in the face of strong defence, too quick to favour ambush and skirmish over pitched battles. Sometimes they are able to come back to a steading in force, but other times Imperial forces have time to dig in, prepare their defences, receive reinforcements, and turn them back when they return. When the season began the Druj dominated Eastring entirely; as the Autumn Equinox nears their control is almost entirely broken. One last push, and the battle of Therunin might be won.

But for now the fighting continues, and while the Empire and the Druj have contested Eastring, there has been precious little fighting in East Ashes. Between the shores of the lake and the horror of the vallorn, there has been an eerie silence. Scouts who have pushed south, and probed the edges of the Druj presence there, encounter significant difficulties. The orc magicians have given cruel awareness and mobility to many of the plants, have drawn on [[Spring magic]] to choke well-trod paths, to wrap walls of poison thorns around Druj-controlled steadings. They can discover very little of what is going on here, but what little they do learn is cause for alarm.

The Tainted Basilisk have, again, been oddly absent from the battlefields of Therunin. Oh, there have been vikari aplenty, but the twisted lizard banners have not really been seen except by scouts. Their attention is elsewhere, it seems. A powerful coven of Druj ghulai including several commanders of the magical army - have gathered at the Feverwater Docks, and are preparing for some terrible working. Imperial spies cannot get close enough to determine exactly what is going on, and many die to gather what little intelligence the Empire is able to glean. They are planning to unleash Spring magic – which is to be expected. If the Druj think they are losing, they will surely seek to [[curse]] Therunin as they cursed the Barrens – to [[Thunderous Tread of the Trees|set the trees walking]] most likely, or to bring down [[Thunderous Deluge|punishing storms]]. Yet there is more at work here than the familiar maledictions; a slave liberated from the Druj brings news of a planned “cataclysm” - something to mark Therunin forever, to punish the Navarr, to show the might of the ghulai. The vates who hear of this exchange glances. Could the Druj be planning to wake the vallorn, to set it to do what they have failed to do – to destroy what they cannot control?
==Game Information: Therunin==
* '''The Empire has pushed the Druj back but the fighting continues'''
* '''Lower Tarn Valley has gained the ''poisoned'' quality and Eastring has gained the ''haunted'' quality'''
* '''The Towerjacks have established temporary forts in Peakedge Song'''
The Druj have been driven out of the Lower Tarn Valley, and the Empire is nine-tenths of the way towards forcing them out of Eastring. Their control of East Ashes and the Feverwater Docks is currently uncontested.

The presence of the Tainted Basilisk means that the Druj can target territory-wide effects on Therunin, including the ability to raise wards and lay curses.

The region of Lower Tarn Valley has gained the '''[[Region_qualities#Poisoned|poisoned]]''' quality as a consequence of the Sephals Cauldron being spilled there. This will have unpleasant consequences for the armies currently engaged in Eastring should they need to retreat through that region.

The region of Eastring has gained the ''[[Region_qualities#Haunted|haunted]]'' quality. The unquiet dead of both Navarr and the Druj walk beneath the trees, and haunt the marshes here. Those steadings where the Druj committed their most terrible crimes against the Navarr people are particularly haunted. While the priests of the nation will do their best to deal with the worst of the hauntings, the nature of the wild marshes means it will be extremely difficult to find and deal with all the spirits abroad here.

Through the use of their [[Army qualities#Engineer|Engineer]] quality, the Towerjacks have established temporary fortifications in Peakedge Song with a strength of 1000. The fort will slowly decay; by the start of the Winter Solstice its strength will have dropped to 500, and by the start of the Spring Equinox 386YE it will no longer be useful.
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=EleonarisArt.jpg|caption=The crimson and gold pennants of Queen Eleonaris flutter over the Fields of Glory in the Summer Realm|align=left|width=350}}</div>

==Participation: Touched by Glory==
Three Imperial armies were supported by [[Knights of Glory]], and a character whose [[military unit]] was assigned to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support]] the Black Thorns, Golden Sun, or Northern Eagle may choose to have been inspired by fighting alongside the warriors of Mistress Malachie, Lady Moriamis, or Ser Gaspare.

Any such character can choose to embrace a [[roleplaying effect]]: ''You feel an urge to ensure that those who have wronged you, or harmed those you love, receive neither mercy nor forgiveness. It is easy to take action against such people, and hard to stop short of ending their lives.'' As long as you experience this roleplaying effect you can also respond to any other roleplaying effect that would make you afraid, or fill you with doubt, by becoming angry instead.

In addition, each of Eleonaris' lieutenants offers a different boon to those who fought with them.

If your military unit fought with the Golden Sun and you possess the [[Heroic_skills#Stay_With_Me|stay with me]] skill or [[Heroic_skills#Stay_With_Me|get it together]] skill, the inspiration of Lady Moriamis allows you to use one of those two skills once during the Autumn Equinox without needing to expend a hero point to do so.

If your military unit supported the Northern Eagle and you possess the [[heroic skills#relentless|relentless]] skill or [[heroic skills#unstoppable|unstoppable]] skill, then the inspiration of Ser Gaspare allows you to use one of those two skills once during the Autumn Equinox without needing to expend a hero point to do so.

Finally, if your military unit supported the Black Thorns, then the inspiration of Mistress Malachie means that once during the Autumn Equinox when you regain hits thanks to any kind of healing effect, you are also purified of any venom or weakness affecting you, provided you spend a few moments of appropriate roleplaying bringing to mind the majesty and terrible splendour of Eleonaris' war-witches.

These effects last until you overcome the roleplaying effect for some reason, or until the end of the Autumn Equinox, whichever comes first.
==All Along the Lakeside (Battle Opportunity)==
<div style="float:right; width: 350px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Druj Flag.png|align=left|width=350}}</div>
The campaign in Therunin has suddenly swung back against the Druj this season, with the Empire quickly recovering lost land in the Lower Tarn Valley, and pushing most of the way through East Ring. However, where the Druj retreat, the pain and misery they have inflicted on the Navarr is all too clear. Steadings and waystations are charred ruins, evidence of ambushes and tortured killings on the trods, despoiled mana sites and forest groves abound. The war in the territory has not been one of conquest, but a brutal and crushing psychological message from the eastern barbarians.

However, it is evident that the Druj are not done with Therunin yet, they have pulled back and consolidated their forces, carefully preparing their plans. From the mass of the armies in East Ring, a force has headed south-west into East Ashes. Initially, the war scouts and prognosticators were in the firm belief that the Druj were committing to the direct destruction of the Feverwater Docks, preparing to deny the Empire access to the inland sea.

At the last moment, it became clear that this assault, terrible though it is, may only be a ruse to disguise their true goals. The orcs have pushed west, into the foreboding vallorn-infested woods at '''Ashborder''' in Sweetglades, where they intend to commit their greatest atrocity yet.

===Objective: Stop the Blood Drainers coven===
* '''Siakha has gifted the ''"Blood Drainers"'' coven a powerful spring magic boon to empower Thunderous Deluge'''
* '''If the empowered ritual is cast at a regio in Therunin, then East Ashes will become impassable for a year and the Feverwater Docks will be destroyed'''

The war scouts have identified a Druj spring coven named the ''Blood Drainers'', whose ghulai curry favour with Siakha. This is the first known association between the eastern barbarians and the eternal they know as ''Depths of the Dark Marsh''. It is however no surprise that the Druj would court with such a ferocious and deadly entity. The ''Blood Drainers'' are believed to hail from the far east of the Salt Flats of Sanath. ''The Maelstrom'' has offered the coven a powerful boon that they plan to use to bring cascading rains across the territory.

Should Thunderous Deluge be cast in Therunin with [[Hurricane_party#Roaring_Deluge|Siakha's boon]] then over the coming weeks the skies will darken and the clouds will stream with an unceasing torrent of rain. The marshes flood often but East Ashes is different, it lies surrounded on two sides by the towering peaks of Morrow and Zenith, massive barriers of rock that will contain and direct any forming storm clouds, funnelling the true wroth of the rain back down on the region. The languid backwaters of East Ashes are certain to swell with the rain coming from the peaks and this will raise the level of the swamps to new heights. Over the coming season the swamps will deepen, the few dry areas will turn to quagmires, and the foundations of tracks, bridges and docks will sink into the dark murk.

The ritual's impact will result in the region of East Ashes becoming impassable for army movement. It would no longer be possible for an army to move between East Ashes in Therunin and Peregro in Morrow, or Lustri in Zenith. Transit would still be possible from Morrow into Therunin via Peakedge Song. This dire situation will last a year, unless a solution can be found to lower the water in the swamps.

The floods will be a diaster for the Feverwater Docks, which will be completely destroyed, sucked down into the rising waters.

===Objective: Stop Cintra Blackstaff===
* '''The mysterious ghulai Cintra Blackstaff is with the Druj forces at Sweetmarsh'''
* '''Blackstaff's coven intends to rouse the vallorn by casting a powerful spring ritual in the Sweetglades'''

The Druj ghulai known as Cintra Blackstaff has been a thorn in the Empire's side for years. She looted the ruined spires of Zenith for knowledge of spring magic, and tortured two Navarri vates to extract information on the vallorn. Where she has been since the Empire last encountered her is unknown, but she has strong connections at the [[Sarangrave#Palace_of_the_Sleepers|Palace of the Sleepers]] in Sarangrave. She has spent years developing her extensive understanding of the vallorn, always seeking a way to use it as a weapon against the Empire. Now at last she is ready to strike.

An escaped slave, a broken and half-starved stevedore from the Feverwater Docks, was able to provide war scouts with a vital warning. The expedition, including her coven and a guard of elite fighters, plan to enter the vallorn in Sweetglades and cast an arcane projection that will rouse the creatures of the vallorn in the region. Such magics are known to be possible - rituals like [[Rivers of Life]] can affect the vallorn and the [[Rise_of_Terunael|Heirs of Terunael]] have used Spring magic to directly stir the vallorn into life. Blackstaff has spent years preparing for this moment, she wouldn't be risking her life in this way, unless she was sure of her magic.

Unless the ritual is interrupted, the coven waylaid, or the resources they require to cast it are captured then Blackstaff will stir the vallorn to life. Should this happen, then swarms of vallornspawn husks, ettercaps, vallornspawn briars, and twisted abberations will issue forth from the depths of the forests and pour out into [[Therunin#Peakedge_Song|Peakedge Song]]. The vallorn won't be unstoppable - but the region will be threatened by a force of at least fifteen thousand strength, requiring a huge effort to hold it back. The vallorn would be vulnerable and weakened if that happened, but by then it might be too late.

===Battlefield threat: The Beasts of Sweetglades===
* '''The Druj have taken control of some of the monstrous insects found in Therunin'''

Therunin is famed for the plethora of insects that inhabit the forests and swamps of the territory. Crucially, they grow ''big'' here, with some of the dire insects growing larger than an adult human.

As the Druj have rampaged through the east of Therunin they goaded a number of monstrous creatures against the citizens of the Empire. The situation is no different here in Sweetglades, with the barbarians driving forth scuttling Dire Elytra that can [[Calls#SHATTER|shatter shields and weapons]] with their great claws, and a hulking Dire Canthon bug twice the size of a human and capable of flinging ranks of soldiers aside with sweeping blows of its forelimbs.

The creatures are a monstrous threat that the Druj will employ against any Imperial force they encounter.

===Battlefield environment: Miasma of the Sweetglades===
* '''A vallorn miasma reaches through the woodlands of Ashborder'''
* '''Any creatures - human or orc - that enters the woodland will be affected by the miasma'''
The woodland at Ashborder lies along the edges of Sweetglades, one of the vallorn-infested regions of Therunin that has existed since the fall of the Terunael. The spore-filled air will make anyone who encounters it feel feverish or sick, suffering in short time from an envenomed blood.

A venture of this scale into the vallorn miasma comes with many risks, especially for those who die of their wounds in its cloying depths. Citizens are reminded that The Gift of Kaela and the winter ritual [[Surcease of Sorrow]] can be used ensure that if the worst happens, ones corpse will not be able to rise as a vallornspawn. Likewise, the spring ritual [[Turns the Circle]] can be cast upon a fallen citizen to prevent their inevitable reanimation.

<box><big>'''[[Vallorn#Vallorn_Miasma|Vallorn miasma]]'''</big><br>
* '''The woodland at Ashborder is under the effect of a vallorn miasma'''
* '''Anyone in the miasma is affected by [[Calls#VENOM|VENOM]] unless they are bonded to an [[Abraxus Stone]] or are under the effect of [[Vitality of Rushing Water]]'''
* '''Anyone affected by the VENOM from the vallorn miasma will eventually begin to suffer from symptoms of nausea or mild feverishness'''
The limited exposure time during this battle means that there is no chance of anyone developing [[Vallornspawn_husk#Green_Lung|green lung]]</box>

==Conjunctions==
===Dreams and Nightmares (The Barrens)===
* '''Druj ritualists and their guards plan to unleash Thunderous Deluge on the Barrens'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Knight-protector of Spring'' is responsible for preventing the Druj ritualists from cursing the territory'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
The Swirling Cavern is a young Spring regio in the Untrod Groves that resonates with [[Spring_magic#Chaos|chaos]]. It was found at the bottom of a deep gulley a few days' walk into the Untrod Groves by ''Cara Tanner'', a yeofolk who had been foraging for herbs. It would have been easy to ignore it - the most powerful ritualists of the nation can use Imperial regio in Anvil to cast enchantments and shrouds on the territory - except that ''Cara'' found a tattered bag of worn, green leather containing several doses of [[Warming Armour]]. Inspired by the exemplar [[Berechiah]] and the recent [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_64|consecration]] of his basilica by '''Irada von Temeschwar''' the yeofolk decided to investigate further and managed to overhear two Druj scouts talking of a plan to use the regio to unleash [[Thunderous Deluge|terrible storms]] on the territory.

A week before the Autumn Equinox a group of knights-errant arrived at [[The_Barrens#Houndsgate|Houndsgate]] with word of a group of Druj accompanying a coven of [[Druj_lore#Ghulai|ghulai]] towards the Untrod Groves. It is too late for anyone dispatched from the fortification to catch the Druj before they make it to the regio - judged to be a few days after the summit. If the [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]], '''Doctor Henri''', can intercept, and kill the ritualists, then that would protect the territory from suffering terrible cursed storms.

===Unexpected Laughter (Morrow)===
* '''Druj ritualists and their guards are moving to destroy Churnspire'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Churnspire Adjutor'' is responsible for stopping the Druj'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
Last season a group of Druj were able to cross the border and [[Ashes#Twilight_(Morrow)|raze]] the [[Morrow#Sunspire_(ruined)|Sunspire]]. Now the ''Shuddering Wrast'' are advancing into Peregro to target a different place of learning and magic. The [[Churnspire Adjutor#Churnspire|Churnspire]] was built shortly after the [[384YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Construct_Churnspire|Spring Equinox 384YE]] overlooking the Churn; one of the most volatile geysers located in Peregro. Its majesty had drawn attention to it in the past; it was one of the [[To_the_last_syllable#What_Might_Be|first targets]] when the armies of [[Cold Sun]] were unleashed on the Empire.

The ''Shuddering Wrast'' are a clear and direct threat to Churnspire with their mastery of [[Inevitable Collapse into Ruin]], as such it is the responsibility of the [[Churnspire Adjutor]], '''Sejanus of the Scarlet Guard''', to stop them. The Druj are still a few days out from the Churn, and the Sentinel Gate is expected to open a short way from the orcs of the Mallum. The coven, which specialises in the Winter resonance of [[Winter_magic#Weakness|weakness]], are likely to use mass battle magic against the heroes on the conjunction if they get the opportunity.

===Colour of Trust (Therunin)===
* '''The Black Wind are attacking Axou traders threatening the business of the Eastern Broker'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Eastern Broker'' is responsible for stopping the Druj'''
{{AgainstBarbarians}}
It is not only in East Ashes and Eastring that the Druj are active this season in Therunin. An orc of the Black Wind is leading a group of heavily armoured [[Arkad#Pakkad|Pakkad]] deep into the west of the territory and moving to intercept traders from the Khiklotu Khrysoú. The pace set by ''Yekath the Swift'' lends itself well to a potential ambush by Imperials, and would see the Axou traders protected. If the Druj are not stopped then the Axou will be butchered, sending a message to the rest of the loose alliance of the Khiklotu Khrysoú. If that happens, then it will reduce the goods available to the Eastern Broker - no more than 16 mana crystals and 8 measures and ingots of materials will be available each season. It is the responsibility of the [[Eastern Broker]], '''Lith''', to stop the Druj.

386YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements

2025-01-28T17:46:47Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 207 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]][[Category: 386YE Autumn]]
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Synod Autumn 386YE.jpg|align=left|width=400|caption=The Synod is sometimes called upon to make difficult decisions.}}</div>
==Overview==
During the Autumn Equinox 386YE Summit, the [[Imperial Synod]] raised 216 [[judgement|judgements]].
==Change of Doctrine==
One [[change of doctrine]] was proposed during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 12===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Morwenna Witheredrose
* '''Judgement:''' New Doctrine: The Doctrine of Truth. In matters of spirit truth always takes precedent over dogma. Only by fully understanding the spirit can we move the world towards enlightenment.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (852-252)
__TOC__
==Veto==
During the final [[Senate session]] of the Summer Solstice, Sabella of the Silent Tide declared her intent to seek the [[veto]] following the decision of the [[Imperial Senate]] to [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Criminalise_Preaching_the_Way_in_Asavea|criminalise preaching the Way in Asavea]].
===Judgement 4===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Sabella of the Silent Tide seeks the Veto as follows: I, your Cardinal of Loyalty, call for a Veto of the Senate motion to criminalize the Preaching of the Way in Asavea. The constitution says our destiny is to "spread across the face of Creation together in unity." Asavea is bound by slavers, denied its chance to grow. Aspar, former Cardinal of Wisdom, and Rafael barossa d'Apulian, Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path, call us to reach out to the people of Asavea, Senate would make that illegal. Senate has had its say, it speaks with caution, knowing the costs. We commit to paying those costs. Virtuous Priests have made clear, by nine separate judgements, that preaching in Asavea is a virtuous and necessary thing. If you are Loyal to these Priests and this destiny, or feel that this law is unvirtuous for any reason, I ask you to vote to veto this motion.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2880-140); a greater majority for this judgement was 2366 votes
* '''Notes:''' The Synod vetoed the Senate motion, and it did not become law. Further discussion of the veto can be found in the [[Signal fire]] and [[Irreconcilable differences]] winds of fortune.

==Statements of Principle==
One hundred and three [[statement of principle|statements of principle]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 7===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' Synod exists to ensure the virtuous behaviour of the Empire. In any conflict between Synod and Senate, virtue lies with the Synod, regardless of individual Senators' reasons for voting a particular way. We should heed the General Assembly and the Throne: ”We must not allow voices of dissent to distract or weaken our purpose. We are one empire and we will strive together towards our shared future." - "It is the Empire's destiny to unite the world under the Way and it is the Empire's duty to protect its citizens and its people." The people of the League should use all our cleverness, sophistication and skill to support preaching the way in Asavea, and the pilgrims already there, obeying the rules of the game as we do so.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (292-38)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the conflict between the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] over the matter of preaching the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], as discussed in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 8===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Dagon of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' A year ago, Rafael Barossa d'Apulian called for every citizen of the League to contribute whatever they could to support the raising of the Holy City in Bastion. Once again, the League rose to the challenge. Where others doubted, the League did not fear to act, matching their word with deed. The virtue of every citizen of the League who contributed will echo through history for 1000 years. There is nothing great without cost, and the Highborn recognise the courage in their commitment to building the greatest beacon of the faith the world has ever seen. We invite the League to send a delegation of bishops to teach in Bastion upon its completion. They have earned their place alongside Highguard and should be welcomed to spread their perspective on the way to pilgrims. Only through these bonds of kinship can the great inspiration enable the way to reach every soul in existence.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (588-18)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[mandate]] raised by Rafael Barossa d'Apulian in [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_30|Winter 385YE]] urging [[the League]] to support the Grand Inspiration of the Way being raised in [[Bastion]], introduced in the ''[[Blood_will_thicken#No_Price_Is_Too_High|Blood will thicken]]'' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 9===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Prince Bishop Jonah Yakovitch
* '''Judgement:''' Stories are inspirational, the rewarding of True Liao is inspirational. To guide fellow pilgrims on the road to virtuousness, let the reasons why a person is nominated for True Liao be recorded. Six years ago, Silvio de Tassato's loyalty to the Empire was questioned after he refused to give in to the demands of an eternal. For this he was excommunicated from the Way. Throughout his years in the wilderness, he cleaved to what he knew held his heart. He soul was at risk every time he took battle, his virtue tested/ Through hardship and misfortune he did not waver. Staying true to the courage of his convictions. He was welcomed back by the Synod, the first citizen in history to be re communicated. In the years that followed, the Loyalty Assembly passed a greater majority statement. To be truly virtuous, loyalty must stem from personal conviction and neither be presumed nor coerced. This was vindication for Silvio, the knowledge that the tests and trials he had injured had strengthened his soul. Let this message stand as an inspiration to all, pilgrims are to be guided by what is in their hearts and let us reward the truly virtuous with True Liao.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1132-176)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to ongoing efforts to find a satisfying way to allocate the dose of [[true liao]] provided by the [[Lepidean_Librarian#Lepidean_University|Lepidean University]]. See also [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]].

===Judgement 10===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alessi of the Basilisks of the Labyrinth
* '''Judgement:''' We accept the invitation of Illarch Maxatious to participate in the exorcism of the Spires of Solokha. Let us send our exorcists to work together to remove this spiritual taint from their halls in Axos.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2380-30)
* '''Notes:''' Responds to an invitation from priests of [[Axos]] to take part in their project to [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|cleanse the ruins]] of the citadel of Solokha, as presented in the [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|Victory and unity]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 16===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Yarkin-Bo Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' We will not bow like Wintermark to meet the expectations of the Jotun Barbarians. They are proud, fierce and terrible, and we will continue to fight like this, as is our right to. Our prowess in battle strikes fear into the hearts of the Jotun. We should not adapt or change our ways to what the Jotun perceive to be honourable. They will never accept peace and if we fight on their terms, we invite invasion. Their hatred for us drives their unvirtuous beliefs and we will not bow to their call.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (32-222)
* '''Notes:''' May be a response to the “[[A_stone_for_a_stone#Resolve_The_Navarr_Issue|Navarr issue]]” laid out in the recent [[appraisal]] into ways to make peace more appealing to the [[Jotun]], as presented in the [[A stone for a stone]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 133|Judgement 133]].

===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dr Lysimachus
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit a great many were afflicted, coming with the Cold Sun curse that would have made them explode into an ashen pile (heart first) if untreated by night's end. Since the Anvil Hospital relies on contributions, there was limited resources to treat everyone and by time of third skirmish returning it was possible, many would be suffering a severe case of cardiovascular combustion. Thankfully folk from all round came to the hospital to give aid, either donating much needed crystal mana, casting the rituals, running the entirety of Anvil to gather more aid and more in a fantastic show of loyalty, prosperity an such. Every Imperial citizen treated remained unexploded, for which the Anvil Hospital and all those who came to help's virtue should be noted. Tha's all bloody brilliant.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1620-10)
* '''Notes:''' May relate to the '''''seed of fire''''' curse laid by the ''[[Cold_Sun#Heralds|scions]]'' of the [[eternal]] known as [[Cold Sun]].

===Judgement 21===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' We commend our brave corsairs who evaded Asavean ships to bring virtue and freedom. We have at this single moment an opportunity to break the most slaver's chains since the rise of the Imperial Orcs. Guerra didn't let the patricians stop her freeing slaves when she knew she had the chance. We shouldn't let the Senate. Freeborn know everything has a price, but when freedom is on the line, we are ready to pay the price.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (136-0)
* '''Notes:''' [[The Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[corsair|corsairs]] are heavily involved in supporting efforts to smuggle Imperial missionaries and [[wayfarer|wayfarers]] in [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavea]] to preach the Way, as first presented in last seasons [[Drumbeat_of_war#Price_of_a_Soul|Drumbeat of war]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Elkiah
* '''Judgement:''' A year ago, Darian Numbers called for every citizen of Dawn to contribute whatever they could to support the raising of the Holy City at Bastion. The people of Dawn have chosen to stand up and inspire others to greatness to be a part of the greatest of deeds. The virtue of every citizen of Dawn who contributed will truly echo through history for 1000 years. The Highborn recognise the pride in aspiring to serve a higher purpose and invites the people of Dawn to send a delegation of troubadours to teach at Bastion upon its completion. They have earned their place alongside Highguard amd should be welcomed to spread their perspective on the way to pilgrims. Only through these bonds of kinship can the Grand Inspiration enable the Way to reach every soul in existence.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (92=10)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[mandate]] raised by Darian Numbersin [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_216|Winter 385YE]] sending Pontus Figures to urge [[Dawn]] to support the Grand Inspiration of the Way being raised in [[Bastion]], introduced in the ''[[Blood_will_thicken#No_Price_Is_Too_High|Blood will thicken]]'' wind of fortune.
===Judgement 28===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Ser Sable
* '''Judgement:''' Dawnish Troubadours! The Loyalty Assembly has recognised Love as applied loyalty (Winter 385, Judgement 122). Inspired by this and noble Seri of the Twisted Rose becoming Voice of the Twin Roses, I ask for you to lend me your talents! Join me in spreading the word and bringing people to the path of loyalty through its facet of love and gathering stories of love from the whole Empire. We start at home in Dawn, where I encourage the troubadours to speak to all people who call our territories home. From the people of Dawn to the Sept of the Barrens and all else who call Dawn home. It is time to show we are different to the Druj and what was torn apart by their hate can be mended by the things we love in common.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (309-44)
===Judgement 31===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Samantha "Tongs" Barossa de Tassato Regario
* '''Judgement:''' Adelmar's ambition was to master every weapon set. It is mine that his shrine shall give citizens the platform to have a teaching pool spanning all weapon sets, styles and techniques. I call upon the best weapon wielders of both the Empire and foreign nations and invite them to educate the pilgrims in their craft. Come and challenge me!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (346-28)
* '''Notes:''' [[Adelmar the Lion]] is an exemplar of [[Ambition]]; Samantha "Tongs" Barossa de Tassato Regario is the [[Prelate of Adelmar's Shrine]], an [[inspirational location]] dedicated to their inspiration in the mountains of [[Redoubt]].
===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Athaliah of Athaliah's Handiwork
* '''Judgement:''' The ruination of the Great Unbound Steel Hall of Lost Chapters was an insult to the pride of not just all those who siblings fell in defence of Reikos, but in loyalty an insult to the pride of all Highborn. Times are difficult and we must in wisdom consider all spiritual needs of our nation and give to the cause most vital. Nevertheless, we recognise that the repair or revitalization of this monument is indeed of great spiritual import, and so we shall remain vigilant for the right moment and methods to bandage this wound.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (302-18)
* '''Notes:''' The [[Reikos#The_Unbound_Steel_Hall_(Ruined)|Unbound Steel Hall of Lost Chapters]] was [[To_the_last_syllable#In_Bastion_and_Reikos|destroyed]] by [[Cold Sun#Scions|scions]] of [[Cold Sun]].
===Judgement 34===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka
* '''Judgement:''' Rane Shard-Bearer asks in the Emperor's tongue what price we are willing to pay to free the souls of Asavea. We will not shrink from the cost of our ambition. Let every citizen dig deep and find whatever resources they can contribute to the Imperial Treasury to secure the Empire against Asavean reprisals while we complete our great mission of spreading the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1492-122)
* '''Notes:''' References the [[The Throne#Address the Empire|Imperial address]] delivered by Rane ShardBearer on behalf of Emperor Vesna, as laid out in the [[Signal fire|Signal fire]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ada of Balthazar's Vineyard
* '''Judgement:''' Highguard needs new ideas. For too long power has been concentrated in too few hands and allowed to grow idle. Let us not confuse ambition with inertia. Wisdom and loyalty to our Empire, demands fresh blood. I petition the Highguard assembly to introduce a two term limit on imperial tiles.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (150-368)
===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Martin Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' The exemplars of vigilance lived and died in history, that of our nations, Their legacies are writ in stone, not story. You may visit the home of Major Benson, meet his descendants, stand up on his grave. You may see Berechiah's actions and his virtuous crimes in imperial record. Make pilgrimage to their tombs. Reflect that these were people like you, heroes, not legends. Renew your faith.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1730-130)
* '''Notes:''' Likely a commentary on the crisis surrounding [[Life of Vardas|recent revelations]] about the fictional nature of the paragon [[Vardas]], further discussed in the [[True faith]] wind of fortune. Both [[Pruning_shears#Benson's_Orchard|Major Benson]] and [[Berechiah]] are Imperial exemplars of [[Vigilance]].

===Judgement 45===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' Our empire is founded on the destiny of nations working together to serve and protect our people, to prosper and achieve great virtue together. The Vallorn is a lurking threat to all. Left unchecked, it will destroy all peoples and nations around the Bay of Cattazar. The Navarr are founded on an oath to destroy it. They have worked and bled to contain it, but now have chosen to start the final steps towards their nations original ambition and a new future . Wintermark will support them to pay the consequences of this virtuous aim. No matter the cost to our own goals, we will join them in their focus on the vallorn until it is destroyed, as even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time. Let us not be shamed by compromising and inaction when we can build our fellow nation up.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (54-192)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 74|Judgement 74]].
===Judgement 48===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Fintan Nighthaven
* '''Judgement:''' "Everything significant is either a threat or something to protect." What is more significant than virtue? I have revealed that the Empire has been blind to the influence of peace, also known as understanding, for centuries and that in ignorance citizens wield it constantly. This season the assembly of the Nine begin to test the truth of this non imperial virtue. The General Assembly calls for a symposium to be held at the summer solstice 387YE. Let theologians take the opportunity to learn of this non Imperial virtue until then, so that we may discuss the merits and threats of understanding and to raise a clear and decisive judgement.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1562-402)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the controversial decision of some [[Cardinal|Cardinals]] to receive [[hallow|hallowed]] items from an [[Axos|Axou]] priest during the Autumn Equinox. The [[Aura|auras]] draw on the [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|peace]], the propagation or endorsement of which is generally considered [[Religious crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way. The opportunity is discussed in the [[Victory_and_unity#Problematic_Priest|Victory and unity]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Pontius Figures
* '''Judgement:''' Our Cardinal Darian Numbers has publicly stated they will not stand in winter. In the three years they have been our Cardinal, the Prosperity Assembly has had the highest success rate of greater majorities of all assemblies bar the Nine. I would like to propose them for the Roll of Benefactors as this would not have been achieved without them spending on our and the Empire's behalf the most valuable commodity at Anvil - time. They have applied themselves tirelessly to ensuring the voice of prosperity is heard at the highest levels. As a founding member of the WNF&K organisation, they have been instrumental in achieving, via hard graft, the first Dawlish successes at the Bourse auction since Britta, and seeing those resources go to some of the most key commissions in the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (188-38)
* '''Notes:''' A [[statement of principle]] requires a [[greater majority]] before it can add someone to the [[Roll of Benefactors]], or receive the attention of the [[Roll_of_Benefactors#Order_of_the_Sack|Order of the Sack]].

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Athiel Westerborn of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod exists to ensure the virtuous behaviour of the Empire. In any conflict between Synod and Senate, virtue lies with the Synod, regardless of individual senators' reasons for voting a particular way. We should heed the general assembly's choices and the Thrones voice. "We must not allow voices of dissent to distract or weaken our purpose. We are one Empire, and we will strive together towards our shared future" - Emperor Vesna. "It is the Empire's destiny to unite the world under the Way and it is the Empire's duty to protect its citizens" - Emperor Vesna. People of Highguard!! Remember that we are the heart of the Way and virtue cannot be separated from politics. Use your integrity, faith, and unwavering strength to support preaching the Way in Asavea and the pilgrims already there, no matter the consequence.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (390-96)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the conflict between the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] over the matter of preaching the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], as discussed in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 59===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Shrike of House Du Beste
* '''Judgement:''' Once again we are called to action and to glory by our neighbours. The Navarr have committed to eradicating the Vallorn once and for all. The League and Varushkans have offered their aid. Dawn will not be found wanting. Great deeds are eternal; let us carve them into the bark of any vallorn who dares oppose us. The people of Dawn shall march with our siblings in the Way to destroy the vallorn now. Let us commit to a War of Thorns and Flowers.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (282-64)
* '''Notes:''' Responds to the [[opportunity]] presented in the [[The_Synod_speaks#The_Fate_of_the_Empire|The Synod speaks]] wind of fortune relating to the [[Navarr]] [[The first shot|decision]] to take the war to the [[vallorn]].

===Judgement 65===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Enchantress Areloe Larmallevés
* '''Judgement:''' Hear this people of Dawn! The Empress, in her boundless Wisdom, alongside the Earls and Generals of this glorious nation, has declared that the Barrens is rightfully ours - Imperial land and Dawnish soil. By her decree, those who dwell there must be brought into the fold of the Empire. They shall embrace the Way, or they shall be driven from our lands, as is our right and duty. Now, let the Troubadours of Dawn rise! With words of fire and songs of Virtue, carry the Empress' message to the Barrens. Speak to those who might hear and bend, spreading the teachings of the Way. But to those who resist - cast them out with righteous force, for the Empress commands it, and Virtue demands nothing less! This is our charge: to safeguard the Empire, and to claim our destiny! Glory to the Empress! Glory to Dawn!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (172-136)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the ongoing complex situation in [[the Barrens]]. The most recent discussions of events there can be found in the [[Unspoken words]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 66===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kezandro i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' Florina i Sol-Devorador i Erigo, the Singing Salve, selfless advocate of Freeborn physicks, deserves her quiet Pride to be exalted. In her own words, she "feels Pride at wounds healed, loved ones reunited, and hope restored." Uplift this virtuous Guiding Flame of our nation!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (185-0)

===Judgement 67===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Khan i Erigo
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn National Assembly beseeches our Generals to act with even-handed integrity regarding the Temple of the Black Bull. The inhabitants of the temple followed all restrictions placed on them while Feroz was under our rule and have shared in the strife brought on by Rahab's occupation. Virtue dictates that they be afforded safe passage home to Asavea, in Pride of our Imperial values, and loyalty to our previous arrangements.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (185-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the matter of [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean]] priests who [[Glass_and_flame#The_Siege_of_Oran|surrendered]] to [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] [[general|generals]] in [[Feroz]], as discussed in the [[Authority_and_acceptance#Priestly_Prisoners|Authority and acceptance]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 72===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Lynneeve
* '''Judgement:''' We have walked the trods for centuries and in that time Navarr has become the lifeblood of the Empire spreading information and trade across the nations. While we prepare for the next step in the war against the vallorn and dream of what comes after we cannot ignore the importance of connections we have created and the importance of maintaining them and keeping our allies prepared so they may help us and themselves. In short, Strength to the Empire = Strength to Navarr.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (328-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the recent [[Navarr]] decision to take the fight to the [[vallorn]], as discussed in the [[The first shot]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Talon-of-the-Mark
* '''Judgement:''' Virtue demands more than fine words and good intentions. The Empire is mighty but it is finite. The Synod provokes war with Asavea and the vallorn at a time when our armies are already stretched too thin. The Empire's people will suffer the consequences. The people of Wintermark must prepare for the storm to come. We cannot support the Navarr at the exclusion of every other threat we face. Make ready for them all. Cleave to your loyalties, provision your halls and prepare for more hard winters. We will not be broken.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (266-34)
* '''Notes:''' A response to the [[opportunity]] presented in the [[The_Synod_speaks#The_Fate_of_the_Empire|The Synod speaks]] wind of fortune to respond to the [[Navarr]] decision to [[The first shot|take the fight to the vallorn]]. See also [[#Judgement 45|Judgement 45]].

===Judgement 76===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tocin
* '''Judgement:''' Never accept defeat; adapt your strategy and try anew. Jorma Steelhail Moralities Shield has dedicated themselves to identifying threats to the Empire, within and without and resolving them. Among their many heroic achievements they are responsible for creation of sanctions, reforming the way the Synod handles inquisition. They recovered Torch Brand leading to the creation of the first champion of Virtue which formed the basis for the others. They defended the virtue of those that stood with Dogri Thulebane, gaining clemency for them all. They were key to the creation of the Beacons if Wintermark which have since been instrumental in the defence of the nation. Now they have proved to be the most successful Imperial Seer in the history of that position, bringing greater insight, knowledge, and wisdom to the Empire on all manner of topics. We are proud to add them to the chronicle of heroes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (260-10)
* '''Notes:''' The name of Jorma Steelhail “Moralities Shield” has been added to [[Wintermark|Wintermarks]] [[Heroism#Chronicle_of_Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]].

===Judgement 77===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Jules von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' The Sandfishers, former Druj slaves given sanctuary in Imperial boundaries, have become good allies and could be more. We recognise their loyalty, first to each other and in their wish to explore a wider loyalty to the Empire. We encourage the Sandfishers to come and talk further of virtue and opportunities to strengthen our alliance, speaking to priests and notables of all nations.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (506-0)
* '''Notes:''' The Sand Fishers (most recently mentioned in the [[The_greatest_city_in_the_world#Flaxen_Pillars|The greatest city in the world]] wind of fortune]] following their discovery of the Flaxen Pillars [[weirwood]] grove) are a small sept of [[orc|orcs]] who now dwell in north-western [[Holberg]]. Some notes about the sept can be found in the [[To_see_what_you_sell#The_Sand_Fishers_in_Play|To see what you sell]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 106|Judgement 106]], [[#Judgement 123|Judgement 123]], [[#Judgement 148|Judgement 148]], [[#Judgement 149|Judgement 149]].

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Athenus of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The Way is in flux, let us use this opportunity to make a lasting transformation. The virtues are not set in stone, they can and have changed over time. Seize this moment, examine the virtues, and ask whether they are still a path to enlightenment or whether some have been subverted by self-serving individuals to use as cover for their own interests. Test the virtues and decide which are still for inclusion in the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (866-776)
===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maria i Espiri i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' Solokha was once a great city and now lies in ruins, none alive know how the calamity occurred - all we know is that the ruin is haunted by many souls now unable to pass through to the Labyrinth. These souls trapped within the mortal world are an anathema to the Way and should be free to traverse the labyrinth and be reborn. We accept the invitation from Ilarch Maxatious to help free the souls trapped within the ruins of Solokha.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (259-0)
* '''Notes:''' Discusses the invitation from priests of [[Axos]] to take part in their project to [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|cleanse the ruins]] of the citadel of Solokha, as presented in the [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|Victory and unity]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Caewel Novarion
* '''Judgement:''' The troubadours of Dawn would like to announce this year's champions - let their deeds inspire; Ambition: Catrina Words the Unbelievably Magical (Ambition 384, 385). Courage: Ser Soleil-Jolie Meadowlark (1st time). Loyalty: Enchantress Mirella of the Twisted Rose, Archmage of Summer (1st time). Pride: Earl Aurianna du Meravon and Myrna Orin (1st time both). Prosperity: Ludwig Barbadoro (1st time). Vigilance: Lord Commander Leohnar Gildaryn (1st time). Wisdom: Earl Aramis du Froste (1st time). Way: Lady Clarice and Lady Eleonar Novarion (Courage 381 and Love 382, 1st time). Love: Earl Ciagan de Rhys (1st time). Glory: Jean Abelard (1st time).
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (334-0)
* '''Notes:''' Each year the [[troubadour|troubadours]] of [[Dawn]] celebrate those individuals they feel have best exemplified the Seven virtue, and the qualities of [[Dawn_hearth_magic#Love_and_Flowers|Love]] and [[Glory]].
===Judgement 85===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Yosephus Morningson
* '''Judgement:''' We are the Assembly of the Way. This is our purpose: to bring new souls to knowledge of the Way, and lead them to full understanding. We will guide their Empire to follow the whole Way, we will equip their priests to preach the whole Way, and we will send them missionaries to proclaim the whole Way. Priests of the Way! Priests of the Empire! Study diligently all the virtues that you may impart knowledge to those in darkness. Seek with equal diligence those who are lost - go into the dark and distant places and bring them salvation!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (281-14)
* '''Notes:''' The Synod has [[Drumbeat_of_war#Resolution|chosen]] to [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_12|focus missionary efforts]] on the [[Asavean Archipelago]],. As discussed in the [[Irreconcilable_differences#Doubling_Down|Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune, there is currently little interest in preaching the Way anywhere other than Asavea, at least until the followers of the faith are free to practice their religion openly.
===Judgement 86===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Silk Farkas
* '''Judgement:''' Wisdom is not always knowing the right answer, but it is finding the right questions. Wisdom loves questions! The joy of curiosity and the reward of good work. There are agencies within the Empire where study, curiosity, and questioning are vital to development; magical colleges, runeforges, prognosticators office, and the department of historical research. I call upon dedicants of wisdom to aid these functions so we may see the rewards of the right questions asked.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (462-0)
===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eska "Ambition's Crow"
* '''Judgement:''' Britta Gilderling, the Young Empress, is an inspirational example of the heroic ideal of the warrior. Bold, brave, and possessed of a spiritual fire that burned so fiercely those who stood with here were smitten by her greatness. Her time as a general of Wintermark saw her lead a campaign to push the Jotun from Sermersuaq and Kallavesa before taking her personal warband to support the Dawnish in pushing the Druj from Semmerholm. She was unafraid to speak hard truths, criticising all the great houses of state for their failings. She did not just speak but acted, gaining support for her candidacy for the Throne, and when elected showed the starmetal will of a true Steinr, leading the charge in returning the Empire to its virtuous destiny. She died as she lived, leading by example in a daring bid to secure the borders of the Empire from the Darkness beyond its walls. We are proud to entertain her into the Chronicle of Heroes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (286-0)
* '''Notes:''' Britta Gilderling, [[Empress Britta]], has been added to the [[Heroism#Chronicle of Heroism|Chronicle of Heroism]].

===Judgement 88===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement:''' Highguard, our kinship with Navarr is Peerless. Our Loyalty to them has been acknowledged and praised. So we shall continue our actions in Pride. I once again call upon us to use Peerless Kinship to aid in Therunin as we once did in Brocéliande. They have asked, we MUST answer. Show that we deserve to raise the Grey Pilgrim army. Aid our ally.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (486-0)
* '''Notes:''' [[Highguard]] offers [[Full_of_sacred_sound#A_Peerless_Kinship|peerless kinship]] to the [[Navarr]], to help them [[Imperial_army#Recruitment|muster a new army]] in [[Therunin]], potentially in conjunction with the opportunity discussed in the [[The_first_shot#Therunin|The first shot]] wind of fortune. This represents the final opportunity to extend peerless kinship offered by the [[Kith_and_kin#The_Right_Question|Kith and kin]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 90===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Merari
* '''Judgement:''' The Senate says that the Empire is not Prosperous enough to be able to give the magistrates fines to the Synod despite the fact the virtue fund is often used to reward those who undertake ambitious projects that benefit the Empire at their own expense. If the Senators cannot bring us Prosperity, then we must help to bring it to the Empire ourselves! Until the Senators realise the error of their ways, the Prosperity assembly call on the architects and builders of the Empire look to the Prosperity Assembly for guidance on which project will best bring wealth to our citizens.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (228-36)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the disposition of fines levied by Imperial magistrates, initially laid out in the Winter 385YE [[Forwards_and_Rewards#Fines_and_Funds|Forwards and rewards]] wind of fortune. The Prosperity assembly upheld a [[mandate]] to [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements|encourage the faithful to withdraw their labour]] until the [[Imperial Senate]] allocated the funds raised to the Virtue Fund, a situation that is still ongoing.
===Judgement 92===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Chauntecleer Words
* '''Judgement:''' The telling of tales within Dawn is one of our cherished traditions for the instruction of Virtues. Dawn thanks all those that took part in the Summer Contest of Words for continuing this - in particular our joint winners Oberron Stony Brook and Magari i Morates i Riequeza as judged by the acclaim of our children. Seek them out to be inspired by their tales.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (300-0)

===Judgement 93===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Casey Elderleaves
* '''Judgement:''' We the citizens of Therunin urge the Thorns of Navarr to keep fighting against the Druj. Our ambitions to remove the vallorn can only be accomplished if we completely remove the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (210-110)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the recent [[Navarr]] decision to take the fight to the [[vallorn]], as discussed in the [[The first shot]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Rosie of Goatsbridge
* '''Judgement:''' We the priests of the Marches extend a formal invitation to Sadogua and his heralds to participate in Wassail. Come and partake in drink, food, and celebration alongside us across the Marches. We also invite Sadogua to relocate the door to the Well of Shadows to the Marches if he so wishes.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (106-12)
* '''Notes:''' Extends an invitation to the [[eternal]] [[Sadogua]] and his heralds. Sadogua currently enjoys the [[Alignment#Amity|Amity]] of the [[Imperial Conclave]].
===Judgement 98===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Jafud Dunsealc
* '''Judgement:''' Like Bolstering Bill and the teachings (??) [[Auras_of_Loyalty#Hallowing_of_Bolstering_Bill|Loyalty hallowing that carries his name]], Winterfolk do not abandon their comrades, friends, family but seek to defend the ones they love no matter the cost. The Suaq people gathered together at Spring Equinox 386YE and swore a binding oath to protect our cousins the Hylje from any that should seek to do them harm. If any further harm is one to the Hyljie then the Suaq will honour the tradition and seek weregild to settle the matter. The weregild that will be demanded by the Winterfolk will be as though the Hyljie are as like members of our own halls. The Hyljie are family to the Suaq and shall stand by them.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (272-0)
* '''Notes:''' The ''hylje'' are enigmatic creatures that live in parts of [[Wintermark]] and claim kinship to the [[Suaq]]. The [[Mediator of Hyljehal]] is [[Mediator_of_Hyljehal#Responsibilities|charged]] with maintaining good relations between Winterfolk and hylje.

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Halkyon of the Myriad Stream
* '''Judgement:''' People of Redoubt, watch the coast and prepare for the malice of the Children of Wrecks and the Grendel. Turn your striving to the organisation of your defences. Build up your bonds with your fellow spires and make assurances to share this watch. Hone your courage and do not fear to act. Keep watch upon the Ribbon of Salt and Evenstar. They must not fall into wicked idolatrous hands. Let Urizen's virtue be a light against their darkness.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (306-0)
* '''Notes:''' Warns of a potential attack by the [[Children of Wrecks]] and [[Grendel]] in [[Redoubt]].
===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Cousin Cedric
* '''Judgement:''' The Mourn has fallen and Bregasland could be next. But fear not we of Bregasland have been through this before and we know how to prepare. We encourage the citizens of Bregasland to take up their tools and fortify their land from the enemy by any means. Break the ditches, flood the fields, block the roads, and spread the swamp. Through Loyalty to our and your home, we will prevail.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (118-16)
* '''Notes:''' Refers both to the [[The wild wind rises|invasion of the Mournwold]] by the [[Jotun]], and the [[orc]] presence in [[Bregasland]] following their [[Only_forward#The_Only_Dry_Ground|conquest]] of [[Bregasland#Graven March|Graven March]].

===Judgement 101===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:''' To reach utopia we must bring the light of virtue to the world. Urizen supports the efforts of the Sevenfold Path and all Imperial missionaries to bring this light to Asavea. Our senators all voted against the Senate motion to make this preaching illegal. We stand together and light the Way for all.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (264-12)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the conflict between the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] over the matter of preaching the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], as discussed in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth
* '''Judgement:''' With the Grey pIlgrims returning home, Highguard calls for the Thundering Tide to be reborn upon their banner. Highguard looks to the legacy of its past to forge its future!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (446-60)
* '''Notes:''' The Thundering Tide was a Highborn army disbanded during the reign of [[Empress Mariika]]. In recent years there has been some concern over claims that the army may have been infiltrated by a sect devoted to the [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual force]] of [[Malign spiritual presences#Hatred|Hatred]]. Highguard is in a position to raise a new army following their decision to support open war against the vallorn, as laid out in last seasons [[The_final_countdown#A_Time_To_Sing|The final countdown]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 103===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Edward Watcher
* '''Judgement:''' Over the last year the Synod has been called on to vote on 788 judgements (excluding appointments). Of these, only 30 were not upheld. A further 13 were withdrawn. Is the Synod truly so united? Or is this the symptom of a dysfunctional system? Within these upheld judgements are examples of an Assembly saying one thing one season, and the opposite the next. Is our time spent voting worthwhile, if in the vast majority of cases the outcome is determined simply by reaching the Synod board? We ask the Civil Service and Constitutional Court to explore ways of making our voting process more effective and meaningful.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1358-352)
* '''OOC Note:''' The Imperial Synod's strength lies in communicating with priests and virtuous citizens. A statement of principle cannot be used to petition for reform of the voting process - but the game team regularly review different parts of the game and all players are welcome to send feedback to [mailto:feedback@profounddecisions.co.uk feedback@profounddecisions.co.uk] at any time.

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Luciana Valesi
* '''Judgement:''' Pride teaches us to never be complacent, but to always strive for excellence in all that we do. The Sandfishers former Druj slaves, have taken sanctuary within our Empire. They have refused all charity, but instead have accepted and developed trade relationships with us. They have acted with Pride - no one could call them half-hearted or uncommitted, and this assembly encourages them to visit Anvil to further strengthen our virtuous relationship.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (480-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 77|Judgement 77]].
===Judgement 108===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Kaspar Yakovitch von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' The Bishops of the League support the establishment in Holberg of a trading enclave with the Faraden, contingent upon the creation of an Imperial title with the responsibility to oversee the enclave and resolve any cultural misunderstandings. This enclave would not be extra-territorial and would remain subject to all parts of Imperial law both secular and religious.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (254-0)
* '''Notes:''' Seems to be a response to [[Faraden]] interest in a trading enclave in the city of [[Holberg]], as mentioned in the [[Where_five_winds_meet#Distant_Caravans|Where five winds meet]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 113===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Delmora i Ruilobz i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' When the Freeborn needed help, our prosperous allies came through for us. Let us never forget the bonds that join us or those who helped us along the way. For providing us with the mithril to upgrade the Burning Falcon army quality and enable them to burn ever brighter, we the Freeborn Assembly extend our thanks to the Vor'Azi of Varushka, Able the Taller of Zenith Ascendant, and Bakar i Riqueza, Hakima of the Coast.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (102-0)

===Judgement 115===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' We welcome all pilgrims from both the Empire and Faraden to visit the Azure Chorus to celebrate what we share and what unites us. We also aks that the Azure Sutannir protects all pilgrims and travellers to the Chorus as part of their responsibilities.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (146-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the interest of [[Faraden]] musicians in visiting the [[Azure Sutannir#Azure Chorus|Azure Chorus]] in [[Kahraman]] mentioned in the [[Where_five_winds_meet#Music_and_Laughter|Where five winds meet]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 117===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Mael
* '''Judgement:''' "Loyalty is not displayed by words or deeds alone but by the unity of both". The Great Cathleon is complete, the Barrens liberated and the Druj forced back - but! The great work continues. Across the continent souls wither, crushed beneath the barbarian boot - the citizens of the Mourn, the septs enslaved by the Druj, among others. Let us be united in a new crusade - a crusade of Loyalty! Let the words of our Synod priests and the swords of our armies ring with one voice - let us bring the warmth and light of the Way to those who shiver in darkness.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (432-32)
* '''Notes:''' The “Great Cathleon” refers to a challenge involving some nations, issued during the early days of the recent conquest of the Barrens, discussed in more detail in the [[Set a twisted thing straight]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Telyn Stormtree
* '''Judgement:''' The Vines at Anvil would like it known that they see themselves as distinct from simply healers as they always work with a partner whether that be through the Sentinel Gate or at the Anvil Hospital. The Vine oath says "we will work with out Vine partner to heal all those who would fight against the vallorn." They see these as partners in the ever-shifting Great Dance. The Vines welcomed the visit of Megan on Friday of the Autumn Summit and will provide their final answers to the questions they have been posed at the next Winter Solstice.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (290-10)
* '''Notes:''' ''Vines'' is a name taken by some Navarr healers. Discussion about what that name means has been ongoing within the nation for some time. More information about which can be found in the Winter 384YE [[Scuppernong]] wind of fortune,

===Judgement 118===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Barty Lynes
* '''Judgement:''' Caterina Words the Unbelievably Magical would like to offer an invite to any Heralds of Meraud that are abroad in Dawn in the season following her birthday this summit. They are invited to a picnic or afternoon tea, and a discussion of the amazing things you can do with magic. Dawn has a proud history of offering hospitality to Heralds to strengthen our bonds of friendship and it would be nice if others in Dawn also looked to reaffirm this tradition by offering welcome to the Heralds of Meraud. Further picnic or tea invites in forthcoming seasons will be made, as it would be very rude not to present the same opportunity for all the Eternals of Summer eventually, but it's too much to ask for them all to turn up at once.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (210-12)
* '''Notes:''' Invites the eternal [[Meraud]] and his heralds to visit [[Dawn]]. Meraud currently enjoys the [[Alignment#Amity and enmity|Amity]] of the Imperial Conclave. The ability of the Imperial Synod to make such invitations is quite limited, even without a greater majority; most eternals have limited awareness of Synod judgements except where specific [[opportunity|opportunities]] have been presented which may be the case here. This [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Dealing_with_Lions|Conclave declaration]] may also be relevant to this judgement.

===Judgement 120===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Martha i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' At the advisement of the Hakima we warn the Freeborn of Quzar to avoid the heralds of Tharim. Do not engage or provoke them. Continue to live with passion and joy despite these grim guests. We intend no offence to them. Their business is theirs - and our business is our own.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (134-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the cohort of dread knights, belonging to the eternal [[Tharim]], currently camped in [[Madruga]], highlighted in the [[Hey_now_how_you_doing%3F#And_Finally_(Tharim)|Hey how you doing]] wind of fortune. Tharim currently enjoys the [[Alignment#Amity|Amity]] of the Imperial Conclave.
===Judgement 121===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Paulus Adelaar van Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Citizens of the League! Join the Mistress of Ceremonies as we celebrate 250 years since Holberg joined both League and Empire. In that time the city has survived flood, fire, and Drug, has raised walls the envy of the world, created dishes beyond the dreams of gastronomy, and stands acknowledged as the greatest city of the League. As the Empire welcomed Holbeg, so Holberg and the League welcome other kindred spirits that we together become yet greater still.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (276-10); the greater majority for this judgement was 279
* '''Notes:''' The [[Mistress of Ceremonies]] is a [[the League|League]] [[Imperial title]] charged with coordinating the guilds and groups of the League to ensure cohesive participation in the pageantry of the nation's festivals and any other celebrations or ceremonies that require a response from the nation as a whole.

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Lia Adelaar
* '''Judgement:''' The Sandfishers, former Druj slaves, have become close allies of the Empire. Our virtue assemblies recognise their virtue, and wish to guide them further, and the General of the Towerjacks welcomes their aid. The Rebeshof Roadwarden, Prince of the Misericorde Market, and priests of the League invite them to visit Anvil to discuss any impediments to fully entwining our destinies. In this the 250th year since the Empire welcomed Holberg and the League welcome the Sandfishers.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (326-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 77|Judgement 77]].
===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Caoimhe Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' The Way assembly recognises the importance of judgement 20, revoking the recognition of Vardas as a paragon of Vigilance. Paragons and Exemplars provide us with proven footsteps to follow in the Way of Virtue. Inspirational stories about fictional characters cannot achieve this.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (185-12)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]].
===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Aniera Exiles End
* '''Judgement:''' The great forest orcs fight alongside us in Therunin, sacrificing their lives with Navarr to defend our homes. We honour their commitment to oaths and strengthening the bonds of Loyalty. There will always be a space for you around our hearths.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (280-0)
* '''Notes:''' The [[Navarr]] and the [[Great Forest Orcs]] enjoy a close relationship, especially following the recent powerful oath sworn by Navarr [[Thorn|thorns]] (among others) to [[Poetry_and_prose#Great_Forest_Orcs|treat the orcs as family]] discussed in the [[Poetry and prose]] wind of fortune, the involvement of orc warriors in the [[Blood and mire|defence]] of [[Therunin]] against the [[Druj]] and support offered to help Navarr muster a new army laid out in the [[The_first_shot#Therunin|The first shot]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 143|Judgement 143]].

===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynmor Rootround
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the Great Forest Orcs fight alongside us, and call you more than siblings, we welcome you as Navarr. One hearth together.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]].
===Judgement 130===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Laudine du Lac
* '''Judgement:''' The assembly recognises that leaving the empty lands in the Barrens to waste serves no one. We call on the Dawnish to settle these empty lands to bring prosperity and look for threats with vigilance in order to protect and uplift all those that live in the Barrens.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (260-54)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the ongoing complex situation in [[the Barrens]], including the Dawnish assembly's earlier injunction to focus on celebrating the victory rather than settling the territory. The most recent discussions of events there can be found in the [[Unspoken words]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 132===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ira Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' The Vigilance assembly have no reason to doubt the authenticity and accuracy of the research commissioned by the Lepidean Librarian, Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower, and we stand by its conclusions. The virtuous seek out falsehoods and expose the truth. In revealing the fiction behind story of "Vardas", Hazelelponi has done a great service to the Way and to the followers of Vigilance. Their example should inspire more than that of "Vardas". The Way is an evidence-based faith and correcting the mistakes of the past is an act of virtue our Empire should take Pride in.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (348-0)
* '''Notes:''' Discusses the recent crisis surrounding the publication of ''[[Life of Vardas]]'' at the behest of the [[Lepidean Librarian]], detailed in the [[True faith]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]].
===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Rhisiart Dancewalker
* '''Judgement:''' Navarr rejects compromise of our culture by the call of cowards who play to the tune of our foes. Liathaven is a tomb of our people exterminated by Jotun hands, yet fools would see our nation change to meet their demands. Our Nation is born from the chaos of Terunael's fall, and we take pride in our history, actions, and in our Oaths. War is cruel, brutal, and best ended by any means necessary, for what is glory or honour to a corpse? Better a war's swift ending than eternal conflict. Navarr did not seek to bring the malice of war to the Jotun, they sought our annihilation so can now reap the whirlwind of our fury. You cannot betray your foes, nor will we let those who claim to be our friends betray our culture.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (105-128)
* '''Notes:''' Likely a response to the “[[A_stone_for_a_stone#Resolve_The_Navarr_Issue|Navarr issue]]” laid out in the recent [[appraisal]] into ways to make peace more appealing to the [[Jotun]], as presented in the [[A stone for a stone]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 16|Judgement 16]].

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Eurydice Starchaser
* '''Judgement:''' The Navarr show Courage in their Ambition to remove the threat of the Vallorn for good. In Loyalty and Courage, we are being called to support this by taking Pride in our magical prowess to support the creation of their army in Miaren that focuses on a mage based front.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (150-0)
* '''Notes:''' Responds to the [[opportunity]] presented in the [[The_Synod_speaks#The_Fate_of_the_Empire|The Synod speaks]] wind of fortune relating to the [[Navarr]] [[The first shot|decision]] to take the war to the [[vallorn]].

===Judgement 141===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Corey Wayfarer
* '''Judgement:''' We thank the League and Varushkan assemblies for there support in the fight against the Vallorn. We note in particular the strength of their statements in relation to their hearth magics and welcome their support.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (206-0)
* '''Notes:''' Discusses decisions made by the League and Varushka to join the fight against the [[vallorn]] laid out in the [[The_Synod_speaks#The_Fate_of_the_Empire|The Synod speaks]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 143===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Meredith Summergleam
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit, Vargas and the Great Forest Orcs danced with us. As our cultures merge, we wish to integrate their Dance with our own and learn their steps.
* '''Outcome:''' Withdrawn (88-28)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 128|Judgement 128]].
===Judgement 145===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Saavi Heroes' Champion
* '''Judgement:''' There is no heroism to be found in whispered rumours, spreading disinformation throughout Wintermark. Our traditions of Mediator and Stormcrow are the path to resolving these issues. Mediators to help with our disputes, Stormcrows to advise and guide. We do not waste out words with idle gossip. It is not the way of the hero.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (264-0) ''
===Judgement 147===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Ironvigil Rikke the Relentless
* '''Judgement:''' The war with the vallorn approaches, sooner or later. When it does, the Empire must act with clear eyes and awareness of consequence. However great the cause, we must act with vigilance not foolhardy haste. We must not ignore all other threats we already face.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (232-24)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the Navarr decision to take the fight to the [[vallorn]], discussed most recently in the [[The first shot]] and [[The Synod speaks]] winds of fortune.
===Judgement 148===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Dolce di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The Sandfisher orcs, former Druj slaves, have become close allies of the Empire, and responsible guardians of the Flaxen Pillars of Misericorde. One sign of their excellence in Prosperity being their specific request for a loan to build the sawmills for the Flaxen Pillars. They have virtuously maintained their repayments. We invite the Sandfishers to discuss any impediments to fully entwining our destinies. Let us become yet greater still.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (114-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 77|Judgement 77]].
===Judgement 149===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Novella di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The Sandfisher orcs, former Druhj slaves, have become close allies of the Empire. Their Ambition in taking an unexplored region of Misericorde and transforming it into a home, as well as discovering the Flaxen Pillars, is incredible It should be our Ambition to welcome the Sandfishers to the Empire and merge our cultures. We invite the Sandfishers to discuss any impediments to fully entwining our destinies. Let us become greater still.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (270-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 77|Judgement 77]].
===Judgement 150===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iza Dancewalker
* '''Judgement:''' We, the Black Scar, are proud to call ourselves Navarr. Pride empowers our Courage to act, strengthens our Loyalty to our oaths. We are proud of our actions past, present, and future; of the corpses left behind us of the consequences that we will always face for what must be done. We are Proud of the Navarr who died headless in Mournwold and the balance we have started to ensure. We're here, we are Proud.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-42)
* '''Notes:''' May be a response to the “[[A_stone_for_a_stone#Resolve_The_Navarr_Issue|Navarr issue]]” laid out in the recent [[appraisal]] into ways to make peace more appealing to the [[Jotun]], as presented in the [[A stone for a stone]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 16|Judgement 16]].

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Cadoc Thornwatch
* '''Judgement:''' We commend the Throne for their initiative to strengthen defences on the southern border in areas that are not yet directly threatened. We call on all those able to lend support to this work, which demonstrates ambition and vigilance. Our Empire will show courage against the threats from the south.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (984-98)
===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Metztli i Phovas i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' The Artisans Guild sharpen the blades of the Empire. They have summit after summit ensured the warriors, mages, and priests of the Empire are equipped for the task of spreading the Way. They have shown Loyalty to the Empire and this should be acknowledged by us all.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (280-38)
* '''Notes:''' The Artisan's Guild is an Imperial sodality represented by the [[Guildmaster of the Artisans]].
===Judgement 155===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Iniska Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' The Spiritwoods call out to our friends in Axos, and offer our aid in their fallen city, as they have supported us in understanding Visokuma. All Navarr exorcists available to assist in Soloka are welcome to join us should the Axou accept our offer.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (208-10)
* '''Notes:''' Responds to an invitation from priests of [[Axos]] to take part in their project to [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|cleanse the ruins]] of the citadel of Solokah, as presented in the [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|Victory and unity]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Eirlys Ashes Blaze
* '''Judgement:''' Thorns - your guides see your sacrifice in the tireless fights against out enemies. Your courage and strength is a core of our nation, and when the next chapter comes it will be achieved by your efforts. We will not sacrifice your souls for victory. Guard your souls against hate and vengeance, let us help you, so that we may stand together as one as we step out of the vallorns shadow.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (222-0)
===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Ardwyn Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' To help someone find their way does not demand a guides oath. To fight when it is required does not demand a thorns oath. To take lead of those around you should not demand a brands oath. Our oaths bind us to purpose, give us direction on the journey of life, lead us in the great dance, they should not be taken lightly. When we mark a cause on our skin we give it higher meaning, a deeper connection to our purpose. When taking a position of authority it should be up to the individual whether they feel ready to take the brand. It is unvirutous to demand another take an oath they may not want or cannot fulfill.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (237-48)
===Judgement 166===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Damascius
* '''Judgement:''' Hate is born in fear. Purity is the fear of those around you. Cleave to what you know to be true, and do not allow others to cause you to doubt. Together, we have the Courage to hold the true virtues to heart and reject the false promises of Hate. Support your fellows. Seek support if you need it. Hatred has no home in our Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (212-0)
* '''Notes:''' [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hatred|Hatred]] is a recognised [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] or “false virtue”, and propagating or endorsing it is widely viewed as [[Religious_crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious_crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way.
===Judgement 167===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Keziah
* '''Judgement:''' The signs of the Paragon call on us to offer salvation and benevolence. Those we can redeem, we must redeem. To those we cannot redeem, we owe a swift and merciful end. To senselessly torment or mutilate a fallen foe is an act of hatred and venegance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (330-32)
* '''Notes:''' [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hatred|Hatred]] and [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Vengeance|Vengeance]] are recognised [[malign spiritual presences]] or “false virtues”, and propagating or endorsing them is widely viewed as [[Religious_crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious_crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way.
===Judgement 169===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Kazimir Syrota Molchan
* '''Judgement:''' The actions of the leaders of the Ore Hills Rebellions 326YE have echoed into the present. In Pride and Loyalty we the Varushkan National Assembly celebrate the courage of the Miners fight against the Jotun of the Mournwold.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (286-14)
* '''Notes:''' [[The Ore Hills Rebellion]] took place in the [[Mournwold]] in 326YE, and was the subject of recent [[historical research]].
===Judgement 170===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Soratio i Del'Toro
* '''Judgement:''' A large portion of Madruga is now a swamp, altered by Spring, Night, and Winter, the magics of Adversity. The Wise gather information, then act. Let those with the expertise to do so map the land, before we seek to reclaim it. A few months wait is a small price to pay to preserve your lives.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (112-0)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the recent [[Where_the_river_rises#Annihilation_and_Transformation|transformation]] of southern [[Madruga]], and efforts to understand the changes there laid out in the [[Where the river rises]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 171===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Hujaani Forgebairn
* '''Judgement:''' Hark! Hear the saga of the one we call Twice Born. Arrow-dodging. Curse-forger. Hero of the Mark. Hear the story of the Dread of Patricians, his saga, his flame, to blaze in the dark. Ice-waking, winter-wise, wielder of words, rune written endings fuel agonies rite. Follow our tales as we speak of his virtue, follow his virtue, his skein shining bright.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-22)
===Judgement 172===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Clarice Novarion
* '''Judgement:''' The Imperial Synod has spoken; we must save the soul of Asavea, heavy though the cost may be. We must work to shoulder that cost. Priests should stop raising and supporting judgements of Rewarding to fund group or individuals, and the Virtue Fund be redirected to support the war effort. The Synod has committed to this war. We should fund it. Neither virtue nor victory comes without sacrifice.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1102-186)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the conflict between the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] over the matter of preaching the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], as discussed in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 173===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Donald Talbot
* '''Judgement:''' Hue and cry! Mitwold and Upwold the Stone Circle seek to empower Winter regios to cause destruction. Call to action! Guard the old places of power. Vigilance of what is yours! Vigilance of our land and homes!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (104-0)
* '''Notes:''' May refer to the ''Circle of Stones'', a cabal active in [[the Marches]] active between 240YE and 360YE dedicated to the wicked eternal [[Agramant]]. The cabal has recently been mentioned by the [[Silent Bell (Sodality)|Silent Bell]] following the investigations in [[Upwold]] detailed in the Winter 385YE [[Hear_your_footsteps#The_Silent_Bell_and_a_Silent_Bell|Hear your footsteps]] wind of fortune. See also [[#Judgement 197|Judgement 187]].

===Judgement 174===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Emmeline Weaver
* '''Judgement:''' Mareave is the latest territory to join the Empire, though it will take hard work and time to secure its Prosperity and safety against the looming threats both within and without the Territory. The Virutous do not shy away from hard work, and the Vigilant seek out poison in their neighbour's fields, lest their own crops be blighted. We call for the vigilant in Mareave, and travelling pilgrims to seek out the perfidy of those working in Grendel interests before the flowers of their treachery bloom, and safeguard the native inhabitants who share the Empire's vision for Mareave.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (228-0)
* '''Notes:''' [[Mareave]] is a former [[Grendel]] territory recently allocated to the Imperial Orcs. Recent attempts to consolidate the Imperial hold on the territory are laid out in the [[Here to stay]] and [[We all stand]] winds of fortune.

===Judgement 175===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' We stand at the start of a long road. The way ahead may not be as clear as we would like, but the journey has nevertheless begun. We owe it to our nation, to our Empire, to each other, to Navarr and Thorn... we owe it to them to look to our Loyalty, set aside debate over whether this was a good or bad choice, and commit to stand together in the face of uncertainty. We are the Empire's lifeblood. Strength to the Empire, strength to Navarr!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (246-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 72|Judgement 72]].

===Judgement 177===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Bryce the Hare
* '''Judgement:''' When the Jotun last occupied the Mournwold, they never took thralls in Alderly - they pushed us up against the trees, but the darkest forest and the people within thaw them out. No Marcher living in Alderly has ever been a thrall within it. House Leveret and Alderly offer or hospitality to all those who would reject a Jotun's boot on their neck. Any Imperial soldier that seeks to rest in our lands will find ready a bed and a bowl. The vigilant prepare for threats to come.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-0)
* '''Notes:''' References the conquest of the [[Mournwold]] by the [[Jotun]], most recently discussed in the [[The wild wind rises|The wild wind rises]] wind of war. During the three-decades long domination of the territory by the western orcs, [[Mournwold#Alderly|Alderly]] was conquered only in theory - the Jotun controlled the grasslands beyond the forest, and the edges of the woodlands, but they did not go too deep.
===Judgement 180===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Verres Aurispire
* '''Judgement:''' The Urizen people would be delighted to accept an inviation from the Imperial Orcs (assuming they choose to do so) - to investigate the Urizeni people who used to live in Mareave. As Urizeni, we honour our dead by recording their lives and sharing their stories, but for those Urizeni, those stories have been lost. We should take this opportunity to recover the stories and truths of the Urizeni who lived there, and share then with the current residents, so that we may all be witness.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (234-0)
* '''Notes:''' The [[Imperial Senate]] and the [[Minister of Historical Research]] have the ability to commision [[historical research|research]] into the past. See [[#Judgement 196|Judgement 196]].

===Judgement 181===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Lithagons of the Lightouse at Nikephoros
* '''Judgement:''' In virtue, we seek to inspire the Asavean rebels to greatness. Through art, song, and letters, we must clearly declare our unambiguous pride in these new followers of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (185-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to Imperial efforts to empower followers of the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], most recently discussed in detail in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 182===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:''' The virtuous strive for action but the forest falls one tree at a time. I call on priests of the Empire to not disapate their Ambition, dividing it in many ways. Consider the first tree to cut and look for ways to focus the will of the Synod.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (456-352)
===Judgement 184===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Tree
* '''Judgement:''' Marcher waters now hold secrets of the Asaveans that could reveal lessons and horrors from our foreign enemies. The Marcher mation assembly calls for the investigation of the ship the Asavean raiders sank in Meade Harbour. Marcher Virtue will see secrets revealed where other nations have struggled. We must know what the Asaveans were so willing to destroy to keep it from the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (110-0)
* '''Notes:''' Likely refers to the scuttling of the Asavean warship ''Leaping Bull'' during the recent [[Harvest_of_infamy#The_Poacher's_Lament|attack on Meade]].
===Judgement 186===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Vigilance Athan Icarion
* '''Judgement:''' Hate is born in fear. Purity is the fear of those around you. Cleave to what you know to be true and do not allow others to cause you to doubt. As one, we must be vigilant against the false comfort of hate, and those who exploit it to their own ends. Hold the true virtues to heart. Support your fellows. Seek out support if you need it. Hatred has no home in our Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (124-0)
* '''Notes:''' [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hatred|Hatred]], sometimes called “purity”, is a recognised [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] or “false virtue”, and propagating or endorsing it is widely viewed as [[Religious_crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious_crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way.
===Judgement 187===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vineyard
* '''Judgement:''' We will defeat both the Druj and the Hate that follows in their wake. The Synod calls on all Vigilant priests to challenge cries of "Death to the Druj" with this wisdom: the courageous soldiers of the Empire bring virtue and the Way, not revenge and death.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (418-190)
* '''Notes:''' [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Hatred|Hatred]] is a recognised [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] or “false virtue”, and propagating or endorsing it is widely viewed as [[Religious_crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious_crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way. In Winter 384YE, the General Assembly upheld a [[mandate]] [[384YE_Winter_Solstice_Synod_judgements#Judgement_15|proposed and enacted]] by Fintan Nighthaven that strongly discouraged Imperial [[general|generals]] from calling for “death to the druj”, although [[The_silent_page#The_Fate_of_the_Wicked|its effects]] were quite short lived.
===Judgement 188===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Asier i Elia i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Empire stands alongside Sumaah in Virtue, against Asavea, and Imperial fleet captains continue to sail to protect trade between our two allied nations. However, Sumaah is not the only victim of Plenum piracy. We should act in Loyalty with the Commonwealth and Sarcophan Delves to alleviate the burden imposed by Asavea upon their two nations in a similar fashion to Sumaah. A chain is not comprised of just one link; we stand beside our allies!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (938-66)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the efforts of [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] and [[Highguard|Highborn]] captains to help protect trade between the [[Sumaah Republic]] and the Empire, as well as the decision by the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean Plenum]] to place a bounty on ships trading with Imperial waters discussed in the [[Authority_and_acceptance#Red Sails|Authority and acceptance]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 189===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Arianwen Thornfield
* '''Judgement:''' Unregretful souls wander Therunin unable to find the labyrinth due to the horrid massacre and inaction of this assembly. We call to our siblings in Highguard to help us lead the souls to their rightful places.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (190-28)
===Judgement 190===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Soramy Splitroot
* '''Judgement:''' The Druj stop us from our ambitions with the vallorn, are a constant war front and prevent us from liberating those they enslave and bring them to virtue. Navarr must commit to removing the Druj completely, so we can focus on the vallorn.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (90-126)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the decision of the Navarr nation to take the fight to the vallorn (most recently discussed in the [[The first shot]] wind of fortune), and the [[Druj]] invasion (and current conquest of) Therunin most recently detailed in the [[Blood and mire]] wind of war.
===Judgement 191===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Orchard Gildryn
* '''Judgement:''' The Deadwood Knight, champion of the Howling Queen has been vanquished! We anticipate her call. Her howl for a new champion. Any person who answers this call commits treason against the Empire. I call for the combined wrath of all nations to put to death anyone who answers this call. Many lives were saved this day, innocents of Varushka and Dawn let this not be in vain.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (488-368)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the apparent defeat of the Deadwood Knight (also known as the Schlacta of Rot), following events detailed in the [[Tourney of the Damned]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 192===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Neala Blackhawk
* '''Judgement:''' Brothers and Sisters of the Great Forest Orcs. Navarr will do everything we can to liberate our siblings the Druj have taken and bring them home. Navarr will work to remove the threat of the Druj from you, our family, and from the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (228-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the [[Druj]] invasion (and current conquest of) Therunin most recently detailed in the [[Blood and mire]] wind of war.
===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Palladius Ravenspire
* '''Judgement:''' This assembly supports Silas of Cenotaph actions to test his knowledge of "understanding".
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (170-18)
* '''Notes:''' Likely refers to the controversial decision to receive [[hallow|hallowed]] items from an [[Axos|Axou]] priest during the Autumn Equinox that draw on the [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|peace]], the propagation or endorsement of which is generally considered [[Religious crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way. See [[#Judgement 48|Judgement 48]], among others.
===Judgement 196===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orc
* '''Raised By:''' Skywise Gralka
* '''Judgement:''' Light in the darkness. Urizen it is with Pride that the Imperial Orcs invite your people into Mareave in order to allow them chance to discover histories lost to them. There is worth in this act and our people know more than any a loss of history and what that means. Shine bright Urizen. Be witness to your ancestors worth in our lands - we invite you with all our virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (54-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 180|Judgement 180]].
===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Kennett the Mummer
* '''Judgement:''' Hue and cry! Hue and cry! The Servants of Agramant are abroad in Upwold and Mitwold! Their offers are never worth the price! Reject them and look to Vigilance!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (48-0)
* '''Notes:''' Seems to be a warning about agents of the wicked eternal [[Agramant]] active in [[the Marches]]. See also See also [[#Judgement 173|Judgement 173]].
===Judgement 198===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Anatoly Vtorov Kovalevich
* '''Judgement:''' The virtuous face unwelcome truths and despise falsehood. Vardas, beloved native son, has proven to be myth. Spurn this falsehood, but before that, remember the source of his inspiration and celebrate it: the fruits of our grandparents labours. Do not mourn a myth. Instead take pride in our traditions and seek the wisdom of the past. We follow the Way, stick to road and strive forward in virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (782-0)
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 20|Judgement 20]].
===Judgement 199===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Viviane Barosse de Couerdefer
* '''Judgement:''' To build a greater empire, to strengthen us in our fight by showing Axos our dignity, I carry a hallowing of a false virtue. In vigilance, I commit to my Assembly's scrutiny and judgement. I stand ready for inquisition and will share my journey with guardians. I believe the gain for the Empire be worth the price, and put in place these defences. This must not be done by any other. Consequences are the price of Ambition, I will not have another pay my account.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (164-70)
* '''Notes:''' Likely refers to the controversial decision to receive [[hallow|hallowed]] items from an [[Axos|Axou]] priest during the Autumn Equinox that draw on the [[Malign spiritual presences|malign spiritual presence]] of [[Malign_spiritual_presences#Peace|peace]], the propagation or endorsement of which is generally considered [[Religious crime#Blasphemy|blasphemous]] and [[Religious crime#Heresy|heretical]] by followers of the Way. See [[#Judgement 48|Judgement 48]], among others.
===Judgement 203===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' The Highborn assembly support the Imperial Synod in their work with the Axou. Let our inquisitors, stewards of the dead and the students of the school of exorcism assist in all ways that we can with the expeditions to the spires of Solokha.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (168-0)
* '''Notes:''' Responds to an invitation from priests of [[Axos]] to take part in their project to [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|cleanse the ruins]] of the citadel of Solokah, as presented in the [[Victory_and_unity#The_Solokha_Project|Victory and unity]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 209===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' The intervention by the Throne in deployment of the Quiet Step was done by request of the generals of the Black Thorns and Isaellas Dance and the Senators for Miaren and Hercynia. The general of the Quiet Step was suspected to not be in sound state to make the necessary tactical decisions. This was the right and virtuous course of action and the nation supports it.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (294-10)
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the decision of [[Empress Vesna]] to employ the [[the Throne|Throne's]] power, [[The Throne#Defender of the Empire|Defender of the Empire]], to assume control of the [[Quiet Step]] army and displace the current [[general]].
===Judgement 212===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Vesna Borkovna Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly of Nine is committed to the war of faith in Asavea. We recognise the need to pay the price. Each season a statement of rewarding will be raised for 62 Thrones to be greanted to the Senate budget to assist with the war effort. We call on all priests in Anvil to vote in favour of this judgement above all other rewardings, until the war is won.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (9-0)
* '''Notes:''' Relates to the conflict between the [[Imperial Senate]] and [[Imperial Synod]] over the matter of preaching the Way in the [[Asavean Archipelago]], as discussed in the [[Irreconcilable differences]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 213===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' The Council of Nine directs the Silent Bell to investigate the actions of the Hand of Dumon and any of their efforts around the Black Plateau.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (9-0)
* '''Notes:''' The [[Silent Bell (Sodality)|Silent Bell]] will investigate the illegal organisation known as the Hand of Dumon, and any activities in [[Spiral]].
===Judgement 214===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Sabella of the Silent Tide
* '''Judgement:''' We, the Assembly of Nine, appoint Tarquinius Ankarien to the Doctrine Reform Counil.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (9-0)

==Mandate==
===Judgement 14===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Herminius of the House of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Herminius of the House of the Wanderer with 50 liao to encourage the Vigilant to watch for the evil that seeks to enter our lands. Let us thwart malice before it strikes against us.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (306-0)
* '''Enacted:''' Defends the borders of [[Morrow]] and [[Zenith]], increasing the number of [[Campaign_outcome#Victory_Points|victory points]] required by the [[Druj]] to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]], but also reduces taxation to the [[Imperial treasury]] by ten thrones. If a new Urizen territory gains a border with the Druj for some reason, the National Assembly can use the same mandate to ask the people of that nation to take up a new patrol. If a territory ceases to share a border with the Druj then the citizens will stop their patrols. As detailed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Protective_Measures|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Earl Cerys de Rosier
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Ser Tunic of the Barrens with 50 liao to encourage the Vigilant to watch for the evil that seeks to enter our lands. Let us thwart malice before it strikes against us.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (352-38)
* '''Enacted:''' Defends the border of [[the Barrens]], increasing the number of [[Campaign_outcome#Victory_Points|victory points]] required by the Druj to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]], but also reducing taxation to the [[Imperial treasury]] by five thrones. If a new Dawnish territory gains a border with the Druj for some reason, the National Assembly can use the same mandate to ask the people of that nation to take up a new patrol; if the Barrens ceases to share a border with the Druj then the citizens will stop their patrols. As detailed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Protective_Measures|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 38===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' The Fool of Glory
* '''Judgement:''' The Virtuous face unwelcome truths. We send the Fool of Glory with 100 liao to reassure everyone that Vardas' story still contains important lessons about virtue. The virtuous apply what they have learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (584-2502)
* '''Not enacted'''. Would have caused people to accept that the real purpose of paragons and exemplars is to teach people how to live a Virtuous life, so it ultimately doesn't matter if they are real or not. See the '''[[True_faith#Do_Not_Demean_Others|True faith]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 60===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Icarus of the Sepulchre of the Red Suns
* '''Judgement:''' There is no sacrifice so great that we cannot meet it to defeat this terror. We send Hazelelponi with 200 liao to urge every Highborn to prepare for the coming battle. No price is too high to realise our dreams.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (510-110); Margin 400
* '''Enacted:''' Commits the [[Highguard|Highborn]] to fighting the vallorn. The [[Grey Pilgrim|grey pilgrims]] will stop walking the [[trods]]; the number of armies that the Highborn can [[Imperial_army#Maximum_numbers_of_Imperial_Forces|support]] increases from three to four. In the seasons to come, there will be fewer opportunities like the recent proposal to [[Drumbeat_of_war#The_Way_is_Clear|convert the Asaveans]]; instead every effort will be made to find [[opportunity|new opportunities]] to gain the upper hand in the struggle against the vallorn. As detailed in the Summer Solstice wind of fortune '''[[The_final_countdown#A_Time_To_Sing|The final countdown]]'''.

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Amris Johan Merikovich
* '''Judgement:''' Know your heart and what commands its devotion above all else. We send Amris Johann Merikovich with 50 liao to urge the Iron Helm to abandon cruelty and focus on the dark magics and curses of Varushka. Embrace your past; never be ashamed of it.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (342-0)
* '''Enacted'''. The [[Iron Helms]] cease to be [[army qualities#Cruel|cruel]], and can no longer carry out ''merciless onslaughts'' or any similar orders designed to break the enemies will. Next season, they will gain the opportunity to embrace one or another new qualities that focus on dark magics and curses. As detailed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Old_Ways|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 81===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Ortenzia di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The greatest assets of the League are our ambition and ingenuity. We send Ortenzia di Sarvos with 50 liao to urge every citizen to commit everything to finding new ways to fight the vallorn. Even the most impenetrable forest may fall one tree at a time.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (272-16)
* '''Enacted:''' Commits [[the League]] to aid the [[Navarr]] in their fight against the [[vallorn]], leading to one or more [[opportunity|opportunities]], and sets the tone for the League's participation in that campaign. For the next year, at least, no statement of principle raised by the League Assembly that calls on citizens to support another cause, be that civil or military, will produce an effect beyond Anvil. As detailed in the '''[[The_Synod_speaks#Five_Cities|The Synod speaks]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 97===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Grey Stone
* '''Judgement:''' Our mastery of farming is unsurpassed in the Empire, but we know our worth. We send Grey Stone with 50 doses of liao to urge the virtuous and prosperous farmers of the Marches to visit Mareave and see how the land there might be made green.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (272-16)
* '''Enacted'''. Persuades virtuous [[the Marches|Marcher]] farmers to visit [[Mareave]]. Fewer pious farmers in the Marches applies a 1 rank penalty to every [[congregation]] in [[Mitwold]] and [[Upwold]]. The Marchers who travel to Mareave will present an [[opportunity]] to help build up agriculture there, but part of their opportunity would require they be repaid in some way for their efforts. As detailed in the '''[[We_all_stand#Farming_and_Water|We all stand]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 110===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Annalaya del-Toro
* '''Judgement:''' The Freeborn are experts in drawing forth prosperity from arid lands. We send Maria I Espiri I Guerra with 75 doses of liao to ask Freeborn farmers to go to Mareave, to aid our friends in the Imperial orcs to make their lands flower.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (190-0)
* '''Enacted'''. Encourages [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] experts in dealing with the kind of conditions found in [[Mareave]] to travel there and see what aid they can offer in dealing with the [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Arid|arid]] conditions in the northern parts of the territory. Every [[congregation]] in the Brass Coast will experience a 1 rank penalty to production in the coming season, and the Freeborn farmers will expect suitable recompense before they put any solution into action. See the '''[[We_all_stand#Farming_and_Water|We all stand]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Oleander Ashwood with 50 liao to encourage the Vigilant to watch for the evil that seeks to enter our lands. Let us thwart malice before it strikes against us.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (306-10)
* '''Enacted:''' Defends the borders of [[Therunin]], once the territory is reclaimed and assuming it is [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assigned]] to Navarr. This increases the number of [[Campaign_outcome#Victory_Points|victory points]] required by the Druj to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]], and reduces taxation to the [[Imperial treasury]] by five thrones. If another Navarr territory gains a border with the Druj, the National Assembly could use the same mandate to ask the people of that nation to take up a new patrol; if a territory ceases to share a border with the Druj then the citizens will stop their patrols. As detailed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Protective_Measures|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 131===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Anastasiya Lukashovna Volkov
* '''Judgement:''' The virtuous lift up their fellows, they do not tear them down. We the Loyalty assembly, support the Iron Helms in their time of change by directing the Eyes of Loyalty with this mandate. Know your heart and what commands its devotion above all else. We send Anastasiya Lukashovna Volkov with 25 doses of liao to urge the Iron Helm to abandon cruelty and focus on the dark magics and curses of Varushka. Embrace your past; never be ashamed of it.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (384-6)
* '''Enacted: ''' Directs the Eyes of Loyalty toward [[#Judgement 80|Judgement 80]].

===Judgement 138===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Friar John of the Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' It is the Empire's destiny to unite the world under the Way. We send Friar John of the Mourn with 25 doses of liao to urge every citizen to contribute what resources they can spare to support the creation of a new Holy City at Bastion. The road ahead is hard, but we are walking it together.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (86-10)
* '''Not Enacted:''' The events surrounding the paragon Vardas mean no new mandates will encourage anyone to support the Grand Inspiration of the Way in Bastion. As detailed in the '''[[True_faith#Crisis_Ripples|True faith]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti
* '''Judgement:''' The greatest assets of Varushka are our Wisdom and resolve. We send Vaclav Mladenovich Kosti with 50 liao to urge every Varushkan to use our knowledge of the dark powers to choose the lesser of two evils. The virtuous apply what they have learned.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (280-12)
* '''Enacted:''' Commits [[Varushka]] to aid the [[Navarr]] in their fight against the [[vallorn]], leading to one or more [[opportunity|opportunities]], and sets the tone for Varushka's participation in that campaign. For the next year, at least, no statement of principle raised by the Varushkan Assembly that calls on citizens to support another cause, be that civil or military, will produce an effect beyond Anvil. As detailed in the '''[[The_Synod_speaks#Five_Cities|The Synod speaks]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 157===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Ivana Petara Vodjavic
* '''Judgement:''' Be alert to all dangers; within and without. We send Velko Perunovich Razorasza with 50 liao to encourage the Vigilant to watch for the evil that seeks to enter our lands. Let us thwart malice before it strikes against us.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (280-12)
* '''Enacted:'''Defends the borders of [[Ossium]] (other than the [[Ossium#Webwood|Webwood]]), increasing the number of [[Campaign_outcome#Victory_Points|victory points]] required by the Druj to claim a [[War#Beachheads|beachhead]] in the territory, and reduces taxation to the [[Imperial treasury]] by five thrones. If another Varushkan territory gains a border with the Druj, the National Assembly could use the same mandate to ask the people of that nation to take up a new patrol; if a territory ceases to share a border with the Druj then the citizens will stop their patrols. As detailed in the '''[[You_could_be_happy#Protective_Measures|You could be happy]]''' wind of fortune.

===Judgement 211===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orcs
* '''Raised By:''' Bloodcrow Pip
* '''Judgement:''' We are a nation, woven from six strong strands. Each sept has its own expertise, that will help us show the people of Mareave we are not their enemies. We send Skywise Tulva with 25 doses of liao to urge the Illarawm to seek ways we can make Mareave a home for our people by approaching the Brine Turtles peacefully and open negotiations. The Brine Turtles are now foreigners; let us in common pride of Mareave move forwards together.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (44-0); Primacy
* '''Enacted:''' Asks members of the [[Illarawm]] sept to go to Mareave and try to establish communication with the Brine Turtle elders. As discussed in the '''[[Here_to_stay#Turtles_all_the_Way_Down|Here to stay]]''' wind of fortune.
==Writ of Consecration==
One [[writ of consecration]] was presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 69===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Nathair Autumngale
* '''Judgement:''' The Library of Hacynian stands as a site where our Empire, in pursuit of Wisdom, was able to determine the definitive solutions to the thousand year problem of the vallorn in but a single season of dedicated focus. The Wisdom assembly seeks to consecrate this location as a Sacred Site to inspire future pilgrims and priests as a testament to what we can achieve as an Empire when we pursue virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (354-10)

==Revocation==
Two judgements of [[revocation]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Callista of the Dark Shard
* '''Judgement:''' The revoke the Cardinal of Ambition Viviane Barossa de Coeurdefer. The cardinal has taken an aura of understanding upon herself to improve relations with a foreign nation. While this is "understandable" as the guiding light of Ambition in the Empire, we cannot hold her to uphold and lead us in ambition whilst under this influence.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (170-200)

===Judgement 127===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' John Sawyer
* '''Judgement:''' We, the Marcher assembly, move to revoke Hal Talbot as Senator to Mitwold. It is clear that Hal was unprepared for the responsibilities that come with such a title and thus ill-equipped to stand alongside the other elected officials who have done and continue to do so much for our nation. I urge you to set aside your personal feelings towards this individual who has shown loyalty to his house but great disloyalty to his nation. He has yet to show willing to support his own territory, let alone the Marches, and should be removed from his position until such a time as he is prepared to make virtuous decisions on behalf of Mitwold.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (108-16)
* '''Notes:''' This revocation condemns Hal Talbot for a lack of loyalty to their nation - in this case [[the Marches]]. Since [[Like_a_hurricane#Know_Your_Heart|Summer 383YE]], when the Assembly of Loyalty embraced the [[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]], any ''Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire would risk causing dissent''. The [[revocation]] is upheld - the impact of the Eyes of Loyalty has no legal implication - but it is likely the Assembly of Loyalty will be called on to consider a response to a judgement that appears to attempt to compel an individual's loyalty.
==Inquisition==
Thirty-one judgements of [[inquisition]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Eeevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Thane Elgar Angusson of Kraken's Vanguard to Inquisition to answer questions regarding the Loyalty of his actions over the past few Solstice's and to respond to allegation that he is an oath-breaker. These allegations raise significant concerns for Elgar's soul and dissension around it is dividing Wintermark halls. We must determine the truth so we can move forward. The Inquisition will be held at time 2.15pm on the Saturday of the Autumn Equinox, in the WIntermark Moot Square / Siegehold (weather depending). All are welcome to witness, priests of Loyalty are encouraged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (130-0
===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Leliel, Daughter of Armisael
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call to inquisition, Luke, Exarch of the Navigators of Virtue. This is due to questions over his past life vision and its effects on his loyalty. It will be at 5.30pm on Saturday in the Senate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (886-0)
===Judgement 41===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Warsmith the Iron Way
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call the Cardinal of the Way assembly, Ashborn Alta, to inquisition at 11am on Saturday of the Autumn Summit at the Legion's Tent in the Imperial Orc camp. Ashborn Atla is coming to the end of their fourth no consecutive year leading the Way assembly and I seek this inquisition to shine light on the virtuous actions they've committed and their Ambitions for the future.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (54-0)
===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Clytemnestra
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' The Summer summit saw the great houses of the Imperial bureaucracy at odds with each other and at the heart the Asavean Crisis. Many looked to the Emperor to step in where Synod and Senate could not agree. So, I call Emperor Vesna Borkovna Prochnost to inquisition - to examine the path she treads as our Emperor, and how she will continue her path into the future. The inquisition will take place Saturday of this summit, at 11.30am in the Imperial Offices.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (320-20)
===Judgement 47===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Aster Aceae
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I am calling Lady Ailsa Tamerbin to inquisition in regards to her apparent unwavering loyalty and support of her dead friend Lady Cecelia de Gauvin and the glory of our nation as a whole. I would like to head of her time as Voice of the Twin Rose in particular. This summit, Saturday, 3pm. The hub annex.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (40-10)
===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Bakar, the Hakima of Salt and Sand, to inquisition over his work to heal the blight and his decision to choose those boons he chose. 11:30 am, Hearth and Honey. Buy a cup of tea if you are coming.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (208-0)

===Judgement 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost, [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of WIsdom.
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Silas of the Cenotaph. You say you will heed this assembly - now you will be tested. We will scrutinise your decision to take a heretical hallowing and weigh your wisdom. do not fail us. 1:30 pm, Hub annex.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld automatically
===Judgement 61===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Hengest Dun
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call to inquisition Tarick of Ashenhall "VIrtue's Roar". To establish the motivations and virtue of his actions regarding the Prosperity of fund raising to support our Senate. 2pm, Wintermark Hearth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (142-0)
===Judgement 68===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Azir
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Velasco i Guerra to inquisition at 2pm Saturday at the Waypoint regarding the Asavea vote.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (185-0)

===Judgement 89===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Gwilym Hearthstone
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Against Idris Eternal regarding voting for the Thimble Bourse seat, at the Eternal Family Tarpauline at 12pm on Saturday of this summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (101-0)
===Judgement 91===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' For taking it upon herself to dictate who the priests of the Way may preach to we call for Rosalina Guila Viola di Sarvos to inquisition. For attempting to dictate who may heard the word of the Way we call Rosalina Guila Viola di Sarvos to inquisition. For making it illegal to spread the word of the Way to all who need to hear it, we call for Rosalina Guila Viola di Sarvos to inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (126-0)

===Judgement 107===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' As Imperial Inquisitor, I call Skywise Tulva Cardinal of Courage to discuss their trial for subverting the agency of the state. Saturday evening at the hub at 9pm.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (846-22)
===Judgement 114===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Lupita di Marcela di Catazar has negotiated for the League in the Reckoning with Urizen, on the matter of Spiral. I call them to inquisition so that the details of this negotiation, and whether it has been conducted virtuously, may be brought to light and witnessed. To take place at the Winter Solstice, time and place to be confirmed with the subject.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (222-0)
===Judgement 116===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Odhran Randrops Fall
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Last summit the Cardinal of Courage was found guilty by the magistrates of subverting the agencies of state. They had Redhand Tutt, who was not a priest, raise/support judgement 210. They were arrested, changed and found guilty. The presiding magistrate denounced the action, stating that it marks a gross and unacceptable breach of the Synod's integrity from the Civil service. The magistrate themselves stated that the Imperial Inquisitor should investigate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (966-382)
===Judgement 136===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Patchico i Sharthe i Guerra
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Seek the inquisition of Deara i Fijadoz i Guerra at the Fijadoz camp in the Brass Coast at 1.30pm on Sunday of the Autumn 386YE gathering. This is to examine the virtue of the decision to vote to ban spreading the way in Asavea.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (136-10)
===Judgement 137===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tarquinius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I hereby call Lady Josephine of Adina's Charge to inquisition at the Winter Solstice, time to be arranged to answer the charges of 1) preaching unitarianism; 2) preaching excessionism; 3) abuse of priestly powers. In order to determine their truth or falsehood. This inquisition is neither "friendly" nor "hostile" and is interested only in Truth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1305-96)
===Judgement 146===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' At 8pm, Saturday, Winter 386YE, Vanja Oddsbreaker, Shadowed Torchbearer, is called to inquisition at the Boundaryfolk camp. We shall discuss reconciling the demands of this office with virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (128-0)

===Judgement 158===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Syene
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I, Syene call Sycheh of Ebon's Hall to inquisition in the chapel of Highguard at 3pm on Saturday at the Winter Solstice 386YE. This inquisition is to justify the decision to ignore the field commanders orders which led to Highguard fighting separately from each other at Autumn.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (474-0)
===Judgement 154===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Ilai
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I, Ilai, call Pariah of the Red Sun to Inquisition at 3pm on Saturday of the Winter Solstice 386YE at the Highguard Chapel to answer questions on their decisions to ignore the Field Commanders orders during the battle on Saturday of the Autumn Equinox.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (216-0)
===Judgement 160===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Neri
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I Neri of Ebony Hall call for the public inquisition of Luc of Ebony Hall. This is to take place at 3pm in the Chapel, Saturday, during the Winter Solstice. This is to grant Highguard answers as to why the orders of the field marshal were ignored for the battle at the Autumn Solstice.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (502-0)
===Judgement 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Aemon
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I Aemon, Exarch of the Suns of Couros, call Jack Flint of the Silent Tide to Inquisition. This is to justify and determine the decisions that led to ignoring the Highborn field commanders orders and the subsequent loss of life. This will be held at the Highguard chapel on Saturday of the Winter Solstice 386YE at 3pm.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (540-0)
===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Velko Peranovich Razoradze
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' We the Varushkan national assembly call Veceslav Oligavich Ketsoc and Oligu Predborvana Ketsov of the Ketsov family to inquisitions over their actions in Ossium in relation to other subjugated people there, their relations with the Druj, and more recently, their actions surrounding the Trudniki of the Webwood. Ivana Petara Vodjovic will be the inquisiting priest alongside the VIgil of the Unforgotten Voice and the priests of Darkwater Vale.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (282-0)
===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lochias
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Ioseph of Phoenix Reach for inquisition at the Scarlet Guard camp at 11.30 on Sunday, to determine whether they have demonstrated any of the signs of the Exemplar.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (44-0)
===Judgement 179===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Nekoda of the Shattered Tower
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Mattheas of the Silent Tide to inquisition. It will take place at the Chapel at 3pm on the Saturday on Winter Solstice 386YE. You will be called to justify your decision to ignore the Field Commander's orders at the Saturday battle at the Autumn summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (414-0)
===Judgement 200===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I as Arcane Inquisitor call Fausta, Grandmaster of the Silver Chalice, to Inquisition to discuss her work and the virtue within. To be held at the Winter Solstice 386YE time and place to be discussed.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld automatically as [[Arcane Inquisitor]].
===Judgement 201===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Rhisart Dancewalker to Inquisition in Winter 386YE, Saturday 18:00, Lumi's in Wintermark, as a follow up to last years inquisition to see how his virtue is continuing.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue inquisitor]] of Courage.
===Judgement 202===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call to inquisition my former cardinal, Zadkiel de Coeurdefer, over his acceptance of an aura of the false virtue of understanding at the Autumn Equinox. This will be held on the Friday of the Winter Solstice, time to be arranged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of Pride
===Judgement 208===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Athaliah of Athaliah's Handiwork
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' The earl de Renard has worked tirelessly to achieve the great ambition of his house, the reclamation and cultivation of the Barren berries, a crop that is the legacy of his house. I therefore seek to inquisit him to unfold further this story of his prosperity, at 1:15 of the Saturday of the Winter Summit 386YE.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (70-6)
===Judgement 210===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' I call Viviane, Cardinal of Ambition, to Inquisition at the Winter Summit, to explain their reasoning for accepting a hallow of a false virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Autumatically as [[Imperial Inquisitor]]
===Judgement 215===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Azir i Shartha
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Bohemond de Rondel publicly claims he is not beholden the the Synod's interpretation of doctrine Further, he claims that he is "not remotely interested in the accolades or censure of assemblies bar (his) own". I call Bohemond to inquisition before the Ambition Assembly to put this to the test (tome and date tbc).
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of Ambition.

===Judgement 216===
* '''Assembly:''' The Way
* '''Raised By:''' Maximillian
* '''Judgement - Inquisition:''' Calls Iniska Ashwood to Inquisition at the Winter Solstice at a time to be arranged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld Automatically as [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of the Way
==Sanction==
Twenty-four judgements of [[sanction]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Tunic of the Barrens
* '''Judgement: Penance''' Emperor Vesna Barkovna Prochnost made the decision to veto the treaty with the Rahvin in pursuit of the Prosperity of the Imperial Hearth, unwilling to sacrifice the homes recently built and rebuilt in the Barrens. She seeks to cultivate virtue in these homes, and that is a noble and virtuous goal. I remind her that knowledge of and conscious loyalty to the faith are not necessary sufficient conditions for virtue. When a virtuous ancestor like Rahvin the Liberator peaks to the orcs that follow them, blinding ourselves to that virtue is a folly and a failing. It opens the door to those who would take advantage of the divide at the expense of a voice of the Way. Vesna's decision saw thousands of orcs from across the Black Wind and the Rahvin turned away from the path of virtue, and cowed in fear of their conquerors. In their lifetimes, we must make amends, and see them truly liberated. I will work with both Vesna and the Rahvin to achieve this goal.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (136-22)

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Redhand Tut had the Courage to act when it mattered, they knew full well the risk to their own life but as they stated "If I need to die for those people to be saved then I will make the sacrifice." They broke Imperial Law impersonating a priest and lying to the civil service, and immediately confessed knowing it would likely mean their death. They have been saved by the exceptional, and likely unrepeatable, circumstances of their act (a combination of time, weather, lateness of information from officials, and attempts to sort this issue any other way) and have accepted the sentence the magistrates have placed upon them, having fulfilled the heroes' burden. It was carefully considered behaviour neither reckless nor a deathwish. I have been inspired by their Courage, and recognise they have helped save so many people in Skarsind.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (196-0)

===Judgement 44===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' As Archmage of Spring, Ibiss negotiates with the Spring realm and has made this task more difficult by failing to retain copies of the Plenipotentiaries sent to Eternals. Ibiss reports that other Archmages also do not keep such copies. This is a collective failure of personal Vigilance which can only benefit Eternals negotiating in bad faith. This is a Conclave problem which a Conclave officer can solve. Ibiss' penance is to spend the next year creating a means by which copies of Plenipotentiaries are retained for Archmages and their successors. For more details see the 4-page leaflet (copies on opposite wall) "Ibiss Briarheart Inquisition Report". My 48 page "Strength and Guile" available from myself or the Anvil Library, makes use of the Archmage's testimony to chronicle the nefariousness of Spring.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (270-)
* '''Notes:''' Virtue notwithstanding, there is absolutely no legal requirement for any [[Imperial title]] to keep copies of their correspondence, nor to make their correspondence available to anyone else.
===Judgement 54===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' ''Escalation''. Having inquisitioned Kespoena Archsky I find no evidence of the Wanderer influencing her soul. Her actions have shown wisdom and vigilance, and she initially took on the curse of the Wanderer to aid another citizen. She is fully vindicated.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (786-18)
===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' ''Escalation''. For five seasons, Aspar held the lantern guiding the Wisdom assembly. Now, Ambition guides his path - but still he walks the path of Wisdom. He understands the weight of his words and questions constantly the information placed before him. More importantly, he understands his mistakes are opportunities to learn. Aspar, though the lantern no longer guides you its light shines strongly upon your path. I testimony you "Virtue's Voice".
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (210-0)

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara of the City Below
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' During the last war with the Grendel, the Salt Lords offered to return Raine Tealeaf's family to them, if they betrayed the Empire and facilitated a second raid on Sarvos. Raine refused. Sarvos and the Empire owe them a debt. Last year, Raine conspired with the Grendel, planning to aid them in their war against the Empire. They did this with the intent that Spiral would be conquered, so that it might be assigned again to Urizen when taken back by the Empire. They abandoned this plan only because they concluded that even if Spiral were lost and regained, the League would still claim it. Raine's particular loyalty to Spiral would have seen Spiral subject to Grendel predation, to slaughter and slavery. They would have torn their fellows down through treachery. This was a loyalty turned septic and perverse from the betrayals Raine themself has suffered. Raine's soul has been sickened by isolation and secrecy, and now they are bereft of their purpose. As penance, I charge them to seek spiritual guidance, allowing others to see what they have kept hidden. They will seek guidance on loyalty from at least four priests over the coming year, two of whom will be chosen by me and two by Raine. At the end of the year, we will meet again and judge what Raine has learned. Joined by Eurybia of the house of the Wanderer and Eevi of the Gadrai, co-inquisitors.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1192-92)
===Judgement 95===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Soriah
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' The assembly of Vigilance condemns the cardinal of Ambition, Lady Viviane de Coeurdefer of Dawn for blasphemy and heresy having whole-heartedly taken upon themselves a binding oath to receive an aura of the false virtue, Apathy, and to have created a hallowing of the same, which they agree to bear for one year during which they will not at all counter-act the effects of, in any way. Their position gives a greater graveness to this act of heresy and brings a direct threat to the Empire.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (380-40); Scrutiny was [[Cardinal#Further_Scrutiny|extended]] by the [[Cardinal of Courage]].
===Judgement 96===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Jeroboam of the Sentinels Tower
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' We the Vigilance assembly condemn the Cardinal of Pride, Zadkiel de Couerdefer, for the religious crime of taking on willingly and knowingly a hallowed object, dedicated to a false virtue. In addition, for swearing an oath to follow the false whim of the hallowing and make no attempt to counteract its dangerous ways. These are actions of abject heresy and blasphemy. The cardinal has squandered their dedicated virtue in favour of apathy and collaboration with enemies of the Empire. Have they no Pride?
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (280-110); Scrutiny was [[Cardinal#Further_Scrutiny|extended]] by the [[Cardinal of Vigilance]].
===Judgement 111===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Masha Sigeling
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' In sharing the unwelcome truth of the life of Vardas, Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower acted with Vigilance, Wisdom, and above all great Courage. She has been given the testimony "towering integrity". Their behaviour was and continues to be guided by great virtue and no religious crime has been committed. They are vindicated.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (158-0)

===Judgement 126===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Dag Kinnad
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' The outcome of the inquisition of Alric Burmoth and his research into the Whisper Gallery. I, Dag Kinnad, escalate to penance. Alric has taken every precaution and sought advice on information. No direct communication or curses were made. However, his research has revealed secrets into the nature of the Way. I advise he speak further to priests and especially Wisdom priests on his findings to better both his and our understanding of the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (212-20)
===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' Marches
* '''Raised By:''' Sam Wych
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' High Farrier sought to arm himself for the danger ahead, and simplified a complex situation down to the actions he could take to defend his people - if it came to it. While it may have been disagreeable to some - to many. It was a profoundly vigilant act. Accounts of spontaneous false auras at the inquisition are true - but he was free of any. The insidious nature of the false virtues are well known to appear even in virtuous moments. We do not condemn those who free slaves, or Imperatix that inspire hope. When we see a threat, we react accordingly.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (20-80)
===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Sam Wych
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' The Assembly of Vigilance condemns the Cardinal of Wisdom, Silas of the Cenotaph, for blasphemy and heresy. In agreeing for a hallow of the False Virtue peace to be created and giving a binding oath to bear it wholeheartedly - without use of any source of spiritual strength to resist it. This spits in the face of the Synod who works to eliminate these threats from the Empire. We expect better.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (286-58)
===Judgement 144===
* '''Assembly:''' Way
* '''Raised By:''' Warsmith the Iron Way
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Myself and Yosephus have inquisited Cardinal Ashborn Atla and I deliver the result: vindication. She has acted extremely virtuously in her time as Cardinal, Inspiring many orcs to become preachers to change the view of the other nations such as Sumaah to understand orc virtue. She has pilgrimaged from Bastion to Timoj to preach the Way and our Doctrine. She is currently working on the Salvation of many souls. I am proud to call her my Cardinal.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (174-10)
===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Bryn Tendfallen
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I am convinced that Travid Longest Path was misrepresented at the Summer Solstice. He called not for vengeance and for hate but for pride and ambition. I have found that he is motivated by virtue and by compassion for the victims of the Druj.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (198-0)
===Judgement 176===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Alastair of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement - Condemnation:''' The assembly of VIgilance seeks to condemn Iniska Ashwood, proxy cardinal of prosperity, under the grounds of heresy and blasphemy. By accepting an aura of a false virtue through hallowing and agreeing to take an oath to Axou, they have tainted their soul. Without any spiritual protection they have put others in extreme danger, as a proxy cardinal they must be held accountable and should know better.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (154-48)
===Judgement 178===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Hengest Dun
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Re:Inquisition of Tarik of Ashenhall, High Bard, Virtues' Road, Longbeard. I am satisfied that their actions around organising 10 nation benefit concert to help fund the Narwhal's Spear was virtuous and laudable. Not only did they demonstrate great Prosperity they gae many others opportunity to also demonstrate theirs. This is a shining example of the exact actions taht the "roll of benefactors" was created to recognise.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)
===Judgement 183===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement - Castigation:''' Senator Gulia of Sarvos has shown themseles deeply lacking in virtue while under inquisition. Demonstrated lack of Wisdom - declaring herself too busy to consult priests of her territory before voting to forbid preaching the Way in Asavea. Additionally, during inquisition we also found a dreadful lack of Pride by reducing her city to a series of cliches and comedic catchphrases. Demonstrated terrible lack of ambition when running for Senate as "a joke". For this she is castigated.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (226-28)
===Judgement 185===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Halwyn Splitroot
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' I inquisitioned "the Voice of the Quiet Forest" coven and found four vates who had dealings with Arhallogen; Defra Brackensong, Courtnn(?) Foxden, Kellos Foxden, Raewynn Farkas. All were insighted and magic detected with no ill auras or efects. All clearly expressed their vate oaths, demonstrating loyalty to the Empire and no loyalty to Arhallogen, their interactions with the eternal and work towards the fane to Athallogen were examined for virtue and I found their action virtuous - particularly wise, loyal, and vigilant.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (180-18)
===Judgement 193===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Aliss Thorn
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Gemma Brightsmith has worked tirelessly to rediscover the lost art of the smiths and bring them home. We recognise her as the first Marcher on the road to being a master of this tradition. A Marcher, a Marcher!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (88-0)
===Judgement 194===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Galahad Audair
* '''Judgement - Castigation:''' In my inquisition of Valentin Orzel, he showed himself lacking in wisdom in diverse ways. In not understanding the procedures of the Synod before ranting against them, in spurious and defamatory allegations of heresy, and in presuming to have greater knowledge of the hearth magic and spirit of Dawn than any of the priests. As such, he is castigated and advised to reconsinder what basis he has for his assumptions, for there is a failure of virtue in them.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-98)
===Judgement 204===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Protectorate Rile has served the Empire as High Bard over the last year, uplifting the voices of countless artists, bards, and storyellers across our lands. They leave a legacy of works to inspire countless others. We so testify them "inspirational voice", so that everyone shall see what they encouraged in others their words have worth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (82-0)
===Judgement 205===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Ematius Ankarien shows a strong and virtuous control over both the Winter mages of the Empire, and his role as Winter archmage, as as testified by countless others at the inquisition held last event, drives the mages of the Conclave to be proud of their work and strive for excellence. We would like to testimony him "Winter's Arete" when he is able to attend the Assembly.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (78-10)
===Judgement 206===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement - Penance:''' Skywise Tulve lied to the Tribune of the Synod, deceived the civil service. This crime is punishable by death. The only reason Skywise still draws breath is the extreme virtue of their reasons. They saved lives and souls when there were no other options. Their virtue is indisputable but they risked the very functionality of the Synod voting. I charge them to tell the tale, so all now this cannot happen again.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (906-22)

===Judgement 207===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Solas of the Spire of the Waxing Sun
* '''Judgement - Vindication:''' Breaking an oath is not a religious crime. Swearing an oath one knows they may break my be perilous but is not a religious crime. Silas, Cardinal of Wisdom, stats his intent in holding a false hallow, to be grounded in Wisdom. Let us judge him on how he acts rather than words spoken to heretics; we vindicate him in this matter up to this point.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (406-42)

==Recognition==
Four judgements of [[recognition]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aethelric the Grounded
* '''Judgement:''' Following the research conducted by the Lepidean library, this Imperial body Recognises that Vardas is not a Paragon. The Way of Virtue is and has always been investigative and research brased. THere is therefore no shame in admitting that Vardas was given a place in our collective faith to which he was unworthy. Moreover there is great Virtue in facing unwelcome truths, seeking out and exposing falsehoods, and testing what we know. Let us adhere to our accustomed high standards and principles and correct the record going forward. In Virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' This judgement was Withdrawn
===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Gaelen Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' We call for the Recognition of Vardas as Paragon of Vigilance to be removed in light of the research produced by the Lepidean Library. The figure of Vardas has been proven to be a fiction devised by Ivar Olyankavic Nathavolava in an attempt to profit from the embellished tales of adventure and therefore, no longer constitute an inspirational path to follow in pursuit of Enlightenment. The lie alone is enough reason to take this most serious action, but it must not be forgotten that those deeds of virtue and vigilance assigned to Vardas were inspired in some cases by real Wardens whose legacy has been robbed form them by this fraud. Centuries of inspiration belong to those unnamed Wardens, whose virtues should shine from beneath the falsehoods. Let us remember the overlooked and Vigilant who act for virtue without fame. Remember the stories, but not in the name of Vardas.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (2482-74)
* '''Notes:''' [[Vardas]] is no longer a paragon of Vigilance. Further details of the claims made by the [[Lepidean Librarian]] are found in the ''[[Life of Vardas]]'', published after the Summer Solstice 386YE. The events leading to this judgement are laid out in the [[True faith]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 40===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Jared of the Sentinel's Tower
* '''Judgement:''' We Recognise Ravadi Founder's Dance as an exemplar of VIgilance. Pilgrimage - They left Dawn to join the Founder's Dance Striding in Navarr, and walked the original path of the Exemplars Navarr and Thorn when the Trods were first created, guarding the world against the Vallorn threat with every step. egacy - As Champion of Vigilance they were a driving force to forge mere titles into a cohesive organisation worthy to Inspire the Empire, eseveral other Champions have pointed to this as RAvadi's Legacy. Benevolence - In sacrificing their dreams for a year to hunt down Bawn-Watch the Champion's Shield they would never hold, on behalf of every Champion that would follow after. Inspiration - Their Inspirational Vigilance was recognised by the Assembly in their appointment to Champion, and many priests of Vigilance will attest to this and their work that followed, seek us out.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (400-0)

===Judgement 43===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Jedediah Boon
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise the leaders of the Ore Hills rebellion of 326YE; Esme Hooper, Mary Digger, Ezekial "Zeke" Boon, Henry Killinghall, Maggie John, and Tom John as Exemplars of Pride. Pilgrimage: Zeke Boon with Maggie and Tom John undertook pilgrimage to Bastion in 318YE. Salvation: They turned the miners away from descent into Hatred, uplifting them to Prideful action, saving their lives and souls. Benevolence: They acted to prevent the starvation of the miners of Ore Hills, leading the Rebellion to take the supplies needed. Legacy: The songs of the Ore Hills, the Scythe of Shepherds, and Mary Digger's execution site remain; a Great Work is being constructed to follow. Inspiration: They inspired the Ore Hills Rebellion itself; in death their deeds Inspired the rising of the Ore Hills miners to resist the Jotun occupation of 386YE. Plan. Arm. Enchant. Resist. Exalt. Remember.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (303-56)
==Appointment==
Twenty-four judgements of [[appointment]] were raised by the [[Tribune of the Synod]] during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Sabella of the Silent Tide''' was appointed with 264 votes; Tarquinius Ankarien received 214 votes
===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Constanza i Kalamar''' i Guerra was appointed with 224 votes; Jedediah Boon of the Ore Hills received 173 votes, Lady Allula de Beste received 40 votes.
===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Assignment of the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean Library]] dose of [[liao#True Liao|True Liao]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Silvio de Tassato''' was selected with 424 votes; Aspar received 336 votes, Finna received 288 votes, Zephaniah of Felix Watch received 242 votes, Vitori van Temeschwar received 18 votes, Pontius received 10 votes.
* '''Notes:''' This is the new, current method of assigning the dose of true liao produced by the Lepidean Library. See also [[#Judgement 0|Judgement 9]].

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' '''Azir i Shartha i Riqueza''' was appointed with 78 votes. Kasjay received 54 votes, and Sebastiano received 28 votes.
===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Talos of the Silent Tide''' was appointed with 108 votes. Brother Solomon of Ebons Hall received 84 votes, Larkin Shrike, House DuBeste received 50 votes; Sufyan i Zuhri i Guerra received 34 votes, Sindri received 10 votes, Hangvar Oakenlegs and Rafiq i Erigo received 0 votes, Ser Thibault-Pépin Medyg of the Amber Lance was deceased.
===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archivist of the Echoing Obelisk]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Athiel Westernborn of the Cenotaph''' was appointed with 370 votes. Miriam of Athaliah's Handiwork received 10 votes.
===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of [[Virtue Inquisitor]] of Vigilance
* '''Outcome:''' '''Alistair of Esther's Sanctum''' was appointed with 106 votes.
===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Mistress of Ceremonies]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lana Valentina de Holberg''' was appointed with 174 votes.
===Judgement 46===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Galene Netherwatch''' was appointed with 6 votes. Albrecht van Holberg, Callista of the Dark Shard, Gaius Starfall i Riqueza, Geoffrey Orchard, and Lutobor Branoslovich Glinka all received 0 votes.
===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Challenger in Waiting]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lady Laudine du Lac''' was appointed with 104 votes. Lord Leonel de Courtenay-Wildrose received 42 votes, and Benedict Vallarius received 40 votes.
* '''Notes:''' This title received extensive scrutiny by the [[Imperial Senate]] during the summit.
===Judgement 50===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of [[Watcher of Ratibor's Torch]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vitore van Temeschwar''' was appointed with 114 votes.

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Varushka
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of the Maze of Zoria]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Illya Nikovitch Volkov''' was appointed with 190 v0tes; Anatoly Paukov Zorkin received 0 votes.
===Judgement 55===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Prelate of the Little Mother]].
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ivana Petara Vedjavic''' was appointed with 124 votes. Vivane Knotes received 68 votes, Soratio e DelTorro received 58 votes, Isaia Pavane de Sarvos received 28 votes.
===Judgement 62===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Courage]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Thomir, son of Astion''' was appointed with 112 votes. Sir Drysford Poacher received 36 votes, Stor "Thrice CUt" Kynfaeri receieved 0 votes, Baalam of Canthiarch's Hold was an invalid candidate with no official nomination.
===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Hugh Farrier of Cockscroft''' was appointed with 11 votes, becoming immune from further [[revocation]] until the next appointment of the Champion, Syene received 38 votes, and Ivanbrok of the Order of the Basilisk received 30 votes.
===Judgement 64===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rhyn Hunter''' was appointed with 62 votes.
===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Knight of the Greenwood]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lord Percival Summerstrong''' was appointed with 116 votes. Ser Mordrain Sepulchre received 32 votes.
===Judgement 75===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of Virtue|Voice of Prosperity]].
* '''Outcome:''' '''Merari Navigator of Virtue''' was appointed with 118 votes. Bartimaeus of Zenith Ascendant received 60 votes.

===Judgement 82===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Custodian of the Imperial War Memorial]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Sarah of the Suns of Couros''' was appointed with 206 votes. Nathaniel of Balthazar's Vineyard received 84 votes.
===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Watcher of the Semmerlak]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Lord Romande de Remys''' was appointed with 74 votes. Valdi Balzena Borzyslav received 44 votes. Wyrm Jongleur received 0 votes.
===Judgement 109===
* '''Assembly:''' League
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Archbishop of Capodomus]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Estella Lucati''' was appointed with 220 votes.
===Judgement 125===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of the House of Barbs]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Oleander Ashwood''' was appointed with 140 votes. Brynn Tendfallen recieved 62 votes.
===Judgement 135===
* '''Assembly:''' Wisdom
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Wisdom]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Valens Leons of the Red Scrolls''' was appointed with 44 votes.
===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Speaker of the Highborn Assembly]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Nicodemus of Balthazar's Vinyard''' was appointed with 210 votes. Nekoda of the Shattered Tower received 196 votes.

==Rewarding==
Eleven judgements of [[rewarding]] were presented to the assemblies during the Autumn Equinox.
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alfredo Barossa di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' Following the Autumn and Winter summits of 385, Rafael Barossa d'Apulian sent a total of 70 liao, 3 Thrones, and 1 wain of white granite to the Acciai sect of Wayist rebels in Asavea to support them in fortifying their position, bribing officials, and spreading the Way. He did so entirely at his own expense. At the Winter summit, he also called in many Debts to help fund the 5 wains of mothril he sent to the Acciai sect. These wains and 3 others provided by Ashborn Trosk, went to the Wayist rebels in the city of Marilen. They were forged into the weapons and armour they used to fight the armies of the Plenum, until ALberto Acciai and his followers were made martyrs, becoming the spark to ignite a firestorm of change across the Archipelago. We reward Rafael 35 Thrones to reimburse him for these expenses, in line with our support for anchoring the Way in Asavea.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (762-444)
* '''Notes:''' A partial provision was made for payment, amounting to 16 Thrones, 2 Crowns, and 2 Rings.
===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Taddea Ginori
* '''Judgement:''' League Strategos Gabrieli di Tassato organised three successful skirmish outings at Summer 386, rescuing two separate groups of fools form the {{Black Plateau}} and preventing deadly Siakha heralds from wreaking havoc along the coast this past season. Strategos receive no funding. Gabrieli spent hours ensuring sufficient numbers and resources, particularly for the terrifying Siakha heralds. They secured herbs to reinvigorate the front lines and liao for anointings and exorcisms. We reward Gabrieli with 11 Thrones for their wisdom and vigilance in proactively protecting our citizens and fighters through planning, preparation, and prosperity.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (106-96)
===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Konstantin Rabovich Bolotnikov
* '''Judgement:''' As the Synod's Mistress of Monuments, I ask for 20 Thrones so that I may continue to celebrate and commemorate virtuous events without being limited to only those people with wealthy families or supporters.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (158-74)
===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Halwyn Splitroot
* '''Judgement:''' Idwyn Splitroot is the Voice of Navarr and an inspiration of Pride for all who attend Navarr Songs and Stories. Let us recognise her service and help her rebuild First Voice Glade School, which was desecrated by the foul scions of Cold Sun, with the reward of 20 Thrones.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (678-464)
* '''Notes:''' While this judgement was upheld, there were no funds available.
===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Solomon of Ebon Halls
* '''Judgement:''' I request a reward of the currently available 29 Thrones from the Virtue fund be awarded to Cyrus of Ebon's Hall so they, with Bloodcrow Rasp, may use these funds to construct a shrine of the Way in Beoraidh, Mareave. These funds will allow us to negotiate the purchase of land and start gathering the required materials. This is foreign land and a chance to start bringing a small nation on our borders into the Way.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (369-476)
===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aspar
* '''Judgement:''' Consequences are the price of Ambition. We have stated clearly that the Synod are willing to pay the cost (Judgement 28, Spring 385YE). We are spreading the Way to Asavea, but this does not come freely. We reward the Imperial Treasury 62 Thrones in recompense for decreased income due to Asavean raiding in the Bay of Catazar. Funds to be disbursed to the Master of the Mint. These funds will ensure our Empire is protected and prosperous while we perform our work in Asavea. Despise the half-hearted, the uncommitted, and the pretender.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1564-138), Full payment made
===Judgement 71===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Alvaro i Verena
* '''Judgement:''' Time and time again, the battlefield healer units of Anvil save Imperial lives with their Vigilance and Courage. I seek a Rewarding of 50 Thrones, to be split equally between battlefield healers of every Nation, so that they may continue their good work: Sadiq i Isa i Erigo. Gwain Splitroot, Caz of the Marches, Irontide Flax and Redhand Tutt, Faimia Vesely-Vanek, Nate of the Wychwood Harts, Alethia Wooder, Lambert Shieldwolves and Nora of House Gerys, Tyresisas Ox of Ember's Wake, Bella di Sarvos.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (550-450); no funds available
===Judgement 79===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Anatolij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' Lord Alistar de Vere, Oswald Hooped, Marigold Companer, Hypatia Raincourt, Olwyn Pickle, Lord Aubin Gildaryn, and Lord Commander Leonar Gildaryn all of Dawn, along with Twig of Varushka, have shown their complete Loyalty to the defeat of the Schlacta of Rot, also known as the Deadwood Knight, engaging in a trade with a herald of the Whisper Gallery to find the sword required to defeat him and turning themselves in to the Anvil militia, They further showed great Courage, sharing the personal secrets they gave to the herald at their trial, They were fined one Throne each for this crime, and so the General Assembly awards eight thrones total, one for each person.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (448-438); no funds available
===Judgement 112===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Creighton Blackewater
* '''Judgement:''' 86 Imperial citizens proved their virtue by voyaging to Rachensgrab to help slaves who were believed to still remain there. Regardless of the outcome, these brave citizens received no reward for their labour. I ask for 11 Thrones from the virtue fund to be shared equally amongst all who took part. Virtuous work deserves virtuous reward.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (320-238); no funds available
===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Nimue Altair
* '''Judgement:''' I seek a reward of 5 Thrones for Isador Bell, leader of the Smiling Grove, Weaver of Dawn, who has put their life and prosperity forward for the sake of the Empire, and its causes. He has dealt with the threat of the Cold Sun in Bastion, both leading and funding a spring ritual to rid the land of their scourge. He has also forged the wooden pastures to protect our Great Forest Orc allies despite Dawnish tensions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (408-354), no funds available
===Judgement 153===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ansteia Starchaser
* '''Judgement:''' There is more than one way to win a war and gain allies. We ask the Synod to grant Nicassia Avicia of Phoenix Reach 20 Thrones towards the eforts of arming one of the septs in the Sarangrave against the Druj. Let them know that we are not conquerors and warmongers, and that we pay back Loyalty earnt. That we uplift and support our allies in need for the benefit of both.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (614-226), Partial fulfilment (4 crowns 11 rings)

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Autumn Equinox.
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]], [[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]].</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that stress the need to follow Imperial law rather than virtue will be unlikely to lead to a mandate.</td><td>[[Knocking_on_every_door#A_Paper_Shield|Knocking on every door]].</td><td>Ongoing</td>
</table>
==The Virtue Fund==
The following represents the Virtue Fund of the Synod:
{|
| ''Closing value at previous summit'' || 29 Thrones, 3 Crowns, 18 Rings ||
|-
| ''Donations'' || 1 Throne, 2 Crowns || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Reikos]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Donations'' || 2 Thrones || Various donations received at the [[Rewarding#Counting Houses|counting house]] of [[Tassato]] prior to the start of the summit
|-
| ''Starting value at this summit'' || 32 Thrones, 5 Crowns, 18 Rings ||
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 20 Thrones || Rewarding to Konstantin Rabovich Bolotnikov following [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]] being upheld (a margin of 84).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 11 Thrones || Rewarding to Taddea Giorni following [[#Judgement 11|Judgement 11]] being upheld (a margin of 10).
|-
| ''Donation'' || 4 Crowns, 4 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 2 Crowns || Donation by Berith Martel.
|-
| ''Income'' || 60 Thrones || The price paid in the Bourse Auction for the dose of True Liao.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 6 Crowns || Donation by Rafael Barossa d'Apulian.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 62 Thrones || Rewarding to Aspar following [[#Judgement 26|Judgement 26]] being upheld (a margin of 1426).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 1 Throne, 2 Crowns, 2 Rings || Rewarding to Alfredo Barossa di Tassato following [[#Judgement 5|Judgement 5]] being upheld (a margin of 318) - insufficient funds for full rewarding.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || nil || Rewardings to Halwyn Splitroot ([[#Judgement 15|Judgement 15]], margin 214), Alvaro i Verena ([[#Judgement 71|Judgement 71]], margin 100), Creighton Blackewater ([[#Judgement 112|Judgement 112]], margin 82) and Anatolij Paukov Zorkin ([[#Judgement 79|Judgement 79]], margin 10) were upheld, but no funds remained.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Ring || Donation by Lysimachus.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 4 Crowns, 11 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 6 Rings || Donation by Protectorate Rile.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 4 Crowns, 17 Rings || Rewarding to Aristeia Starchaser following [[#Judgement 153|Judgement 153]] being upheld (a margin of 388) - insufficient funds for full rewarding.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || nil || Rewarding to Nimue Altair ([[#Judgement 142|Judgement 142]], margin 54) was upheld, but no funds remained.
|-
| ''Closing value at this summit'' || nil ||
|}

==Doses of True Liao==

Five doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to Vesna Borkovna Prochnost as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to Silvio di Tassato via [[#Judgement 3|Judgement 3]]
* One dose to Idris Eternal by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to Eleri Bronwen's Rest by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to Æsa Sigeing by decision of the Gatekeepers

Eternal

2025-01-25T08:44:28Z

Rosemary: /* Bargains and Boons */

[[Category:Magic]][[Category:Eternals]]
<onlyinclude>
<quote by="Morgause Erewash">Kill an eternal? How do you slay the wind? Words may kill the peace, swords may end the war, but conflict, like glory, is eternal.</quote>

==Overview==
The eternals are the most powerful inhabitants of the six other [[Realms|realms of existence]]. Some possess great temporal power commanding armies of soldiers, ruling great cities or claiming extensive lands in their realm. Others appear to be solitary individuals with only a few allies or servants. All of them have unique magicial abilities that they can offer to those who deal with them, if the bargainer is prepared to pay the price.

Eternals, as the name implies, appear to be ''mostly'' immortal. They don't consistently age or change over time in any predictible way, and in some cases even the idea of death seems strange. While mortal magicians may argue the nature of [[Phaleron]], the being claims to be an actual library, and is completely unconcerned with life and death as a mortal might understand them. There are some eternals that seem to undergo significant changes, but their fundamental nature seems to remain the same. For example, Basileia Brazen replaced Basileus Flint and seized control of the [[Basileia|City of Locks]], just as Flint replaced Basileus Kade years earlier. Through all these changes, though, the City of Locks endures and in each cycle it is ruled over by an eternal devoted to intrigue, power, and treachery.

There are exceptions: [[Azoth]] apparently results from the union of two earlier eternals of the Night realm named [[Murit]] and [[Soghter]], but in this case there is speculation that they are all the same creature undergoing a cyclic transformation as an expression of the fundamental nature of change. Likewise, the shifting prestige, power, and relationship of [[Eleonaris]] and [[Jaheris]] seems to be an expression of the "duality" of nobility in the Summer realm.

What is clear is that eternals do not age, or change in a gradual way in the manner of mortal beings. When they change, the changes are fundamental and swift. An eternal that has presented the same face to the Empire for decades or centuries might suddenly change that face, but its new expression is tied inextricably to the the underlying principles that form the core of its identity.

Not every eternal has the same level of interest in the Empire, but the [[Imperial Conclave]] has the power to define the status of those that do via a [[Declaration]] of [[Alignment]]. Doing so has a powerful but poorly understood [[hearth magic]] effect that can make it more or less difficult for the eternal to use their powers to affect the Empire. A list of the current status of all Eternals can be found [[Alignment#Status_of_Eternals|on that page]].

The list of eternals below is not exhaustive. Rather it consists of those beings familiar to the Empire, usually because they have shown an interest in it at some point since its formation.

==Eternal Nature==
* '''Each eternals area of expertise is fundamental to their existence and dominates their outlook'''
* '''No eternal can consciously contradict their essential nature'''
* '''Few eternals appear to ever lie or dissemble about what they want'''
Each eternal has a distinct personality that constrains how they think and how they act and that is linked to their fundamental nature. Llofir is not simply the eternal lord of fungus who draws their power from the principles of decay and rot in a way that presumably reflects some of the [[Spring_magic#Resonance|resonance of the Spring Realm]]. The ideas of collapse and ruin, and to some degree renewal, completely dominate Llofir's thinking to the exclusion of most other concerns. It is possible to engage Lofir in discussion of other topics, but the conversation will invariably circle back to rot, ruin, decline, and decay because those are the subjects the eternal is interested in.
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 400px;"><quote by="Callus Strategos">It is foolish to compare an eternal to a child. Even the youngest child has free will.</quote></div>
Eternals appear unable or unwilling to deliberately contradict their essential nature. Everything Llofir does is ultimately intended to cause something to decay or to end a period of stagnation - they won't consciously act to preserve something, or prevent it falling apart. Of course it is possible that causing the decay of something may help something else to grow stronger and healthier - the eternals have exactly the same limitations on predicting the outcome of their actions that mortals have - but Llofir won't deliberately set out to preserve the status quo, prevent decline and decomposition, or stop the inevitable cycle of decay that clears the way for new life. It seems unlikely that the eternal would want to, but they couldn't do it even if they did. The conscious acts of eternals are irrevocably bound by their essential nature, and they can ''only'' act according to that nature.

Because their nature dominates the way they interact with other beings, the majority of eternals are unwilling, or perhaps unable, to lie about their wishes or their plans. Mortal politics is plagued by intrigue and layers of deception, so it is easy to assume that eternals are likewise engaged in duplicity in pursuit of their agenda. Eternals generally present themselves as utterly candid which can lead the suspicious to assume their apparently straightforward offers of aid conceal some deeper, more malign plan.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
Every eternal embodies certain concepts tied to their realm. These concepts underpin their character, and dominates their agenda and ambitions. This can make them easier to predict, but also makes them difficult to compromise with because there are some actions they simply won't or can't countenance, and some ideas they are incapable of grasping. [[Cold Sun]] is absolutely implacable in its search for purity; no amount of reasoned argument is ''ever'' going to convince it to stop trying to destroy chaos and disorder by extinguishing all mortal life, because that is what it exists to do.

==Bargains and Boons==
* '''Eternals are able to provide powerful magical boons to those who deal with them'''
* '''Agreements between eternals and mortals have metaphysical weight, and there may be dire consequences for anyone who breaches them'''
* '''Eternals do not lie when offering bargains, but they may allow mortals to trick themselves'''
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''Trickery'''</br>One of our touchstones when creating plot involving eternals (among others) is that it is far too easy for plot writers to trick players. When an eternal offers a bargain, the benefits it provides will operate as promised, provided that the player characters uphold their end of the agreement. There may be unexpected consequences, but they won't be designed as a "gotcha" that punishes players for accepting a deal. There is no fine print or hidden clauses in agreements with eternals, and it's rare for eternals to "twist" the wording of a deal in the manner of a malign genie - provided that the mortals they're dealing with don't try to do it first.</box></div>
Eternals of all realms seek to engage in bargains, deals, and agreements with mortals. They offer boons that might include long-lasting [[enchantment|enchantments]], unique [[magic items]], the services of their servants on the battlefield, their aid in achieving difficult goals, or their support in building powerful [[commission|commissions]]. In every case, these boons come at a price. Most commonly, they require the mortals they deal with to pay a price either in goods and materials or in certain behaviour engaged in or refrained from. Even an apparently altruistic eternal like [[Ossegrahn]] offers their healing gifts in the belief that accepting and using those gifts will align those it bargains with more with its philosophies.

When an eternal offers a deal, gift, or boon, it will always try to lay out exactly what it will provide and exactly what it expects the mortal to do to get that boon. It's in the best interest of the eternal that the mortal knows what they are getting and what the price is. Eternals who break their side of a bargain often face dire consequences for doing so, but this goes both ways. A mortal who gains a boon and then refuses to abide by their side of the bargain often find that by doing so they have freed the eternal to take direct, painful action against them in pursuit of redress.

In practice, the eternals of the Autumn, Night, and Winter realms are much more likely to enter into agreements that risk unexpected outcomes. Even here, however, they avoid lying directly to mortals about the details of their agreement. There is never unspoken fine-print in a deal. When Agramant offers [[Combat_skills#Endurance|physical strength]] to a mortal coven that engages in a [[The Crimson Feast|cannibalistic feast]], they always provide that boon. It is up to the coven to make sure they are not caught and executed for their horrible acts. If there is a trap hidden in an agreement with [[Basileia]] or the [[Whisper Gallery]], it will be one that preys on the hubris, ambition, greed, or foolishness of mortals to not consider consequences or costs, rather than one that relies on deceptive wording or cunning linguistic tricks. The eternals of the Spring, Summer, and Day realms are generally even more straightforward in their dealings, laying any bargain out in the most candid way possible. Again, there might be unexpected outcomes, but in this case they are much more likely to arise from misunderstandings about the nature of mortals, or consequences in the wider world arising from the impact of the boon or the price paid.

As long as mortals are careful, and weigh carefully the benefits they stand to gain against the price requested, it can be safe to deal with eternals. Risk creeps in when mortals don't consider the consequences of what they are asking for or being asked to do, or when they convince themselves they can wriggle out of an element they find unpalatable.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
Plot writers won't deliberately trick players by lying or presenting deals with hidden elements or clauses. An eternal may not tell you everything that a boon will do if you use it, but when an eternal says it will do something in return for a certain price, then it will do that thing. Even hostile or untrustworthy eternals like Agramant or the Thrice-cursed Court will always try to fulfill their end of a bargain. We want to avoid "gotcha" results as often as possible, but still create space for player characters to trick themselves through preconceptions, misunderstandings, or greed.

==Shifting Faces, Different Forms==
* '''All eternals have many different names and can take different faces at will'''
* '''Some eternals have one or more different forms they can assume'''
* '''Some magicians believe that the different names or appearances reflect different personalities or aspects of an eternal'''
* '''Regardless of appearances, it is clear that these facets are the same eternal'''
All eternals are known by many different names, even within the same nation. [[Wise Rangara]] is also commonly known as ''The Ancient One'', ''Eldest'' or ''Grandmother Winter'' and ''Kind Rangara'' in different parts of the Empire. The Varushkans use the old Ushkan name ''Clever Spider'' to refer to the wise eternal. It is widely believed that these names were given to the eternals by mortals dealing with them. While heralds will ''sometimes'' use these names to refer to their liege, an eternal very rarely does so. In some fables, the hero discovers the true name of an eternal and uses it to gain power over them, but serious magicians know these are just children's stories. [[Roshanwe]] claims they require multiple different names, because no one single word can encompass their essential nature.

Some eternals seem to enjoy the implicit flattery expressed by their epithets. The eternals of the Summer Realm are proud and vain creatures and using their "personal" name in their presence risks insulting them, whereas calling [[Adamant]] the ''King Under the Mountain'' is more likely to please and flatter him. The eternals of other realms are less haughty but even they seem to prefer those who seek their aid to use one or more of their formal titles rather than their moniker. Wise Rangara claims that doing so shows, demonstrates wisdom and awareness, suggesting that using the name implies a magician understands something about the being they are talking to.

In addition to their many names, all eternals are able to change their personal appearance, adopting a different height, weight, sex, and features. Even when an eternal appears in their "normal" appearance, they can still look to mortal eyes like a completely different person. Usually an eternal will use the same "face" for a period of time, generally only adopting a new one if they have not been in communication with the Empire for a while. Some magicians believe eternals change their face when they grow bored of the old one, the way a mortal might buy a new set of clothes. Others claim the change is not deliberate, rather an eternal simply "forgets" what they used to look like in the Empire if they haven't talked to an Imperial magician for some time.

A few eternals are able to change their shape dramatically to assume a completely different form. The ruler of the City of Locks usually appears as a charming lithe man or woman but they can assume the monstrous form known as the Beast of the Locks. Many of the eternals of the Night realm claim to be shapeshifters who are able to assume ''any'' form they wish.

Some magicians claim that the different names or forms of an eternal reflect different personalities or aspects of an eternal's essential nature. According to this theory, the [[Janon]] who takes the form of a burning pillar of flame, is different in a meaningful way than the one who takes the guise of a human or orc. In the most extreme version of this theory, ''Shadowed Fire'' is not simply a different name for Janon, rather it expresses a meaningful [[Urizen_hearth_magic#Truth|truth]] about the aspect of the eternal that is different to ''Firebrand'', ''Night Sword'', or ''Torchbearer''. More likely, an eternal's form and preferred title reflects their current mood. The brutal monster that is the Beast of the Locks is feared in part because Basileia only takes this form when the eternal is already enraged.

Regardless of any changes in appearance or form, it is a fundamental truth that these different forms ''are the same eternal''. This has been proved beyond doubt, multiple times by the use of the Conclave powers of [[alignment]]. Even changes of demeanour that would seem utterly unfundamental to a mortal being - like the death of Basileus Flint and their replacement by Basileia Brazen - seem to have no real impact on the fundamental nature of the eternal in question.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
Eternals change. Sometimes this happens because a role has been recast, sometimes it happens because we feel an eternal isn't providing any useful elements in the game. These changes tend to be sudden and dramatic rather than the result of slow evolution.

==Munificence And Might==
* '''Eternals are extremely powerful but only in the areas over which they have dominion'''
* '''All eternals want payment in some form in return for their aid'''
Each eternal has a narrow range of interests or areas over which the being has dominion in some way. Within these narrow confines, an eternal's power is as close to limitless as the world of Empire allows. [[Eleonaris]], the Summer eternal of majesty, nobility, battle, and victory commands armies of soldiers that she will grant to magicians who [[Knights_of_Glory|perform her ritual]] - there doesn't appear to be any limit to the number of armies she can field in this way. [[Kimus]], the Day eternal fascinated by scrying and observation knows more about where things are than any other being in creation. But Eleonaris knows nothing of such matters, while Kimus has no soldiers of any kind to fight in a battle.

Despite their potency, eternals very rarely offer their aid freely. In most situations, they want to be recompensed for any gesture of support. In the Autumn realm that payment might be in the form of metals, mana, or other valuable resources. Eternals of other realms are more likely to demand services or that a supplicant take action that advances their goals. In those rare cases where an eternal will grant their aid without explicitly asking for anything in return, it is only because the eternal is confident that doing so serves their own agenda.

It is possible to codify magical rituals that [[Ritual_theory#The_Role_of_Eternals|call on the aid of eternals]], binding an eternal in a promise to provide aid each time the ritual is cast. In many cases, obtaining the aid of an eternal may be the only way to achieve the effect. It is not possible to discover information "by asking the Day Realm" a question - but there are a range of rituals like [[Swim Leviathan's Depth]] that allow a magician to converse with an eternal to discover what they know about a subject.

Outside of their domain, an eternal's powers are extremely limited or non-existent. More than just a reflection of the resonances and dissonances of their magical realm, each eternal's powers appear to almost confined to the narrow range of interests with which they are associated. [[Sadogua]] has significant magical powers, but they have no soldiers who can fight in their service. Attempting to secure the assistance of the Brother of Wizards for a ritual to summon solders from the realm to fight for the Empire will always fail.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
Eternals do not have unlimited power, and are most effective when working within their area of special focus. Often the payment they want provides them with the resources they require for their magic - when [[Sadogua]] gets magicians to send him resources in return for magic items to aid their rituals, the amount of material provided directly relates to the power of the item he is able to create. Some eternals break the "rules" of their realm, or are able to offer boons that no other eternal can. For example while most Winter eternals can cause slow decline and ruination, Surut of the Thrice-cursed Court has a strong association with fire and possesses powers that involve swift, wide-spread destruction through burning and immolation. Any Day eternal or mortal magician versed in the lore of that realm can perform potent divinations, but Kimus is unparalleled in her ability to find lost objects.

==Anchored in their Realms==
* '''No eternal can ever leave their realm to enter the mortal world'''
* '''No eternal can enter another realm, and their ability to effect them is virtually non-existant'''
* '''Eternals can enter chambers, including the Hall of Worlds'''
Eternals are fundamentally anchored to their realm and are unable to leave it. They ''can'' enter a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], a place that exists part way between the mundane world and the realm, but they ''cannot'' enter the mortal world. Less powerful occupants of the realms, like heralds, can enter the mortal world under the right circumstances, but eternals cannot. In many ways this is the fundamental distinction between a herald and an eternal - the point at which an inhabitant of the realm becomes powerful enough to be called an eternal is the point at which they are so strongly anchored in their realm that they can never leave it.

Because of this restriction, many eternals are interested in chambers and keen to [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Dominion|exercise dominion over them]]. Gaining dominion over a chamber allows the eternal to determine who can enter it from the realm, which can be valuable. Having access to a chamber gives an eternal a way to meet with mortals and a chance to advance their agenda.

The most important Chamber in the Empire is [[Anvil#The_Hall_of_Worlds|the Hall of Worlds]]. This powerful chamber appears to connect to all six of the realms but is under the dominion of the Empire, allowing the Conclave to dictate who from the realms can enter the Hall, using declarations of [[Alignment|Amity or Emnity]]. Some eternals will chose to come to the Hall of Worlds to converse with Imperial magicians, others prefer to create small chambers of their own that can be reached from the Hall.

It is not only the mortal realm that is barred to the eternals; they cannot enter or even perceive the other magical realms. Their heralds, and the other [[inhabitants of the realms]] are likewise restricted. Indeed, many eternals are only peripherally aware of the other realms and the other eternals. How much they know about realms other than their own varies from eternal to eternal, with those of the Day Realm and Autumn Realm generally knowing the most and those of the Spring Realm knowing the least. This is one reason that eternals from one realm rarely interact with those of another.

While their knowledge of the other realms is limited, their ability to actually influence a realm other than their own is effectively non-existent which is another reason they rarely waste their time worrying about the inhabitants of other realms. [[Kimus]], for example, can see anything that happens in the Day Realm or the mortal realm to which she turns her attention but cannot look into the Spring Realm. The armies of Summer do not assail the cities of Autumn, and the monsters of Winter do not spend their time considering how to corrupt those of the Night realm.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
Eternals can't enter the mortal realm. They exist in encounter tents, or in the Hall of Worlds. This is partly to preserve their mystique, partly to ensure that encounters with them can be managed effectively. It also ensures that they need agents to get things done in Anvil - either NPC heralds and servants or PC agents voluntarily advancing their agendas.

Eternals are focused on their own realms. With only a few exceptions, most eternals do not particularly know or care about the eternals of different realms. Even the occasional rivalries, such as that between [[Sadogua]] and [[Meraud]], rarely spill over into open conflict and it's rare (but not unknown) for them to work against each others' interests. Most eternals are simply focused on their own realm and its resonance, treating other realms as odd distractions. Plots will very rarely involve eternals from different realms opposing each other directly, and when it does they will almost always focus on mortal intermediaries rather than the inhabitants of the realms themselves.

==Domininon in the Empire==
* '''Eternals can claim dominion over land in the mortal world'''
* '''The eternal can use the full remit of their powers in such an area'''
* '''Vassals of the eternal can enter and leave freely from regio in such an area'''
It is possible for an eternal to [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Dominion|exercise dominion]] over an area of land in the mortal world, reflecting their control of that location. An area of dominion could be as small as a single [[commission]] or a feature like an orchard, a cave, or a well. It could be a mountain, a valley, or an entire town. It could even be a [[Territory#Regions|region]] or even an entire [[territory]], in theory. There is no known limit on the size, but the limits will usually be determined by the [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Boundaries|boundaries]] of the area in some way.

If an eternal gains dominion over an area of land, then they are able to wield their powers in that location without restriction, even if they are under the [[alignment#emnity|emnity]] of the Conclave. They cannot enter the area - eternals [[#Anchored_in_the_Realms|cannot enter the mortal world]] - but all the heralds and other creatures that serve that eternal can come and go freely from any [[regio]] in the area. Most areas of dominion include at least one active regio of the appropriate realm, but it is not clear if this is because eternals don't bother to claim dominion over an area that doesn't have a regio, or because they can only claim dominion where a regio exists. Some magicians have theorised that an eternal might be able to use their power to ''create'' a regio in an area of dominion. As evidence for this theory they point to examples where regio have grown more powerful after dominion over them is claimed, or else have become more visibly overgrown in ways that reflect the nature of the eternal who claims them.

Gaining dominion is not trivial - it requires some kind of manifest action that reflects the reality of the eternal's control of an area. When [[Cold Sun]] sent armies to [[Things that burn|attack the Empire]], those troops conquered regions of land around various powerful day regio. That military conquest would have been enough to allow the eternal to claim dominion over those lands had they been left uncontested for long. When the Conclave invited Llofir to purge [[Reikos]] of the taint of the [[Druj]], the eternal used the power over the land they had been given to claim dominion over a region. Cultists in service to an eternal like Agramant or [[Yaw'nagrah]] might work pernicious magic to grant their sovereign dominion over a smaller area like a commission or local feature.

In all cases, it is impossible for an eternal to simply claim dominion over an area of the Empire; they either need to send heralds to secure their actual control of the land or else some mortal or mortals with the authority or wherewithal to do so needs to grant them dominion. Reclaiming the land can be equally difficult. Either the eternal must be persuaded to cede the ground, or else the Empire must retake it by force. Such actions often have lasting consequences, Imperial negotiations with Llofir have not yet returned to normal after the Empire sent armies [[383YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war#Destroying_Angels|to seize Tamarbode from the Quiet One]].

The Empire can deliberately create an area of dominion by agreeing with an eternal to commission a [[fane]]. A fane is a way for the civil service to codify the work involved, presenting a framework for senators to use that will definitely create an area of dominion provided the right area is chosen and the eternal agrees to the deal. The ability to create fanes does not prevent an eternal from trying to claim dominion over a commission or area by other means. A [[sinecure]], a [[ministry]], or even a [[great work]] is still vulnerable to subversion by the servants of an eternal if they are determined to make the attempt.
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
When eternals have a direct impact on the Empire - when they create outposts or claim territory - it is as a resut of player character action (or sometimes inaction). We'd never just give Agramant control of Holberg - but we might run a plot in which a group of conspirators have to do several unpalatable things in secret, or present a gang of NPC servants doing a ritual that requires a skirmish to prevent. Fanes represent a reliable, codified way that the Imperial Senate (currently) can give dominion of an area to an eternal, but they are by no means the only way this can take place.

==Lords of the Realms==
* '''The nature of some eternals is to wield temporal power within their realm'''
* '''All eternals have heralds and other beings of the realm who serve them'''
* '''Rituals that summon beings from a realm to fight for the Empire must employ the aid of an eternal'''

The eternals are the most powerful beings in the realms, and some present themselves as rulers or sovereigns in their own right. Such temporal power as they wield tends to reflect their nature and their realm. The Summer Realm has kings and queens who rule over the Summer lands and hence [[Cathan Canae]], a Summer eternal, is often referred to as the Queen of Ice and Darkness. In the Autumn realm, there are princes who rule over the great cities of the realm and hence [[Callidus]] is the Prince of the Argent Tontine.

Whatever their titles, most eternals can call upon vassals from their realm when needed. Their most intelligent servants are referred to as heralds - they serve the eternals usually loyally though some have desires of their own. In addition, an eternal ''might'' have soldiers who will fight for them or drudges to work in their employ. Each eternal is different, but all of them can call on lesser beings for assistance when they need it.

It is not possible to summon creatures from a realm using magic. The only way to reliably gain the assistance of heralds or other creatures is to make a bargain with an eternal to provide the aid. Eternals with extensive knowledge of magic like Sadogua, [[Meraud]] or [[Prospero]] all agree that rituals that call beings from a realm to serve a magician's needs, such as [[Knights of Glory]] or [[Clarion Call of Ivory and Dust]], require an eternal to send the agreed aid. In effect, it is creatures of the realm that that eternal commands who are sent in response to the ritual.

There are many rituals in Imperial lore that call aid from a realm that don't appear to be connected with an eternal such as [[Conclave of Trees and Shadow]] or [[Carve the Crystal Guardian]]. According to Sadogua and his peers, these rituals must have an eternal patron, it is simply that the Empire doesn't know who that is. In some cases these details may have been lost over time, but in other instances it is clear that the ritual was developed without the casters ever knowing which patron was answering their call. Such are the risks involved in trying to call forth aid from a ritual without a prior agreement with an appropriate eternal in place
<br><br><big>'''What it means'''</big><br>
The creatures of the realms are ultimately under the dominion of the eternals, and interacting with them through ritual magic requires negotiation. We do this in part to make sure that anything that conjures power from the realm - something that almost always has [[Ritual_theory#Supernatural_Effects|over high-magic implications]] - does not dominate the game. It also serves to drive conflict and create interesting scenarios - when the price of angering Eleonaris is that Knights of Glory becomes less effective or incur additional costs, this adds an additional level of importance and risk to interactions with that eternal.

==Agents, Cults, and Idolators==
* '''Eternals regularly seek human and orc agents to puruse their agenda in the mortal world'''
* '''Some mortals devote themselves to the service of an eternal'''
* '''The worship, veneration or exaltation of an eternal is a serious religious crime'''
* '''Eternals have no particular awareness of or interest in acquiring mortal souls'''
The ability of eternals to influence the mortal realm is limited, especially for those placed under the enmity of the Imperial Conclave. Many also recognise that their heralds are limited in their ability to pursue certain goals, and so seek mortal agents to advance their agenda. In the Empire this may take the form of an informal agreement to undertake certain actions or promote a certain philosophy, but it might also be more formal in nature and result in the creation of an [[Imperial title]]. The [[Shadowed Torchbearer]] for example serves as a representative of the eternal [[Janon]] in the Empire, while the [[Emissary to the Celestial Library]] receives boons from [[Phaleron]] in return for supporting scholarship and learning across the Empire in its name.
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 400px;"><quote by="Gideon, Cardinal of Vigilance">There's no need to worry about the Agramant. The Devourer will always tell you what he is doing. Better to reserve your Vigilance for those foolish enough to accept his offers of power.</quote></div>
While agents of eternals who are friends of the Imperial Conclave, or who are considered [[alignment#neutrality|neutral]], may operate publicly this is not the case for those who are [[alignment#enmity|enemies]] of the Empire. [[Agramant]], [[Yaw'nagrah]], and the [[Whisper Gallery]] are known to make extensive use of mortal agents because the ability of their supernatural servants to operate in the Empire is curtailed by enmity. Such individuals face censure as [[sorcery|sorcerers]], or the attentions of the magistrates, and may face very serious consequences for their allegiance. While they may pursue their goals covertly, they are at constant risk of exposure. Boons provided by their patron might reveal their provenance to divination magic, while there are unconfirmed reports of some agents bearing noticable marks of their allegiance on their aura that can be discerned with the [[insight]] ceremony. The life of an agent of an illicit eternal is fraught with risk and anxiety and rarely ends well.

While most mortal magicians seek to deal with eternals through bargains and agreements, there are some who embrace their patron in especially unwholesome way. These groups may venerate or even worship the eternal, engaging in the religious crime of [[Religious_crime#Idolatry|idolatry]]. This may even be true of otherwise allied or netural eternals. A family that has a long history of dealing with [[Eleonaris]] for example may center more and more of their traditions and customs around respect for that relationship, ultimately subsuming their destiny to the will of the eternal and becoming a "cult". The Conclave and the magistrates remain [[vigilance|vigilant]] for signs of such behaviour, and seek to intervene before it reaches the point where the group takes some sort of unforgivable action on behalf of their patron.

One element that seems universal however is that while eternals are often interested in mortal agents or servants, none of them are interested in mortal ''souls''. Most eternals speak candidly about not having any real idea what a soul is. Even if one were interested there is apparently no mechanism to "trade" that soul to an eternal and doing so would seem to have no interest to eternals of any realm. Those of the Day and Night realm in particular might enjoy discussing philosophies of souls, morality, virtue, and spirit but they don't seek to gain ownership of these ephemeral things nor profess any deep understanding of what they are or how they work, or even if they truly exist.
<br><br><big>'''What it Means'''</big><br>
It's possible for player characters to become an informal agent of an eternal through interaction and proving their ability to achieve their ends. Some eternals make this association more formal by offering to create an Imperial title, but when they do that it follows all the normal rules both for creation and how it is appointed. The eternal usually provides their agents with a list of things they want achieved, and any benefits that accrue are often based on how effective the character is at achieving them.

It's also possible to play a cultist or idolator but this is fraught with difficulty. Doing so risks your character's life, but is no guarantee that the eternal will even notice you. Like any other player, you'll need to work to attract the attention of the eternal and then convince it that you are capable of and interested in pushing its agenda on the field at Anvil.

{{Cosmology Further Reading}}

Realm

2025-01-25T08:40:37Z

Rosemary: /* Autumn */

==Overview==
The world of Empire is known to touch six other planes of existence that are separate from, but intimately connected to, the mortal realm. These realms are innately connected to the practice of magic, as well as being home to [[eternal|eternals]], heralds and more.

Magicians have named four of the realms after the four seasons, but these are symbolic rather than literal names. The Realm of Winter, for example, incorporates brutal desert, parched forests and bottomless oceans as well as frozen snowfields. The "seasonal realms" resonate more with the "seasons of life" than the literal wheel of the seasons. Spring is wild and unfettered as a child, Summer is full of the arrogance of youth, Autumn is a realm of maturity, and Winter a realm echoing with the fear and wisdom of old age. By contrast, Day and Night are realms of the spirit; one encompasses ideas of intellect and the higher mind, the other ideas of passion and the primal instincts.

A place where the power of one or more of the realms has seeped into the mortal world is called a [[regio]]. They are important for magic; a powerful regio can make it easier to cast some rituals and the most powerful rituals can only be performed in an appropriate regio. The more powerful a regio, the stronger the connection with the realm and the more likely that the area will show physical and spiritual signs of the realm's pervasive influence. A powerful regio will usually be associated with a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]], a location half-way between the mortal world and the realm.

The realms are home to many supernatural beings. The most powerful are the [[eternal|eternals]] the defacto rulers of each realm, but they also contain countless [[inhabitants of the realms|other entities]] as well.
<div style="float: right; max-width: 40%; clear: right; margin-left: 10px;"><box>'''The Realm Glyphs'''<br>A system of six sigils are commonly used in the Empire to represent the realms. These sigils were created and popularised in pre-Imperial times by a [[Dawn|Dawnish]] [[Earl#Enchanter|enchanter]], initially for use in [[Dawn_culture_and_customs#Heraldry|heraldry]]. They were later adopted by several prominent [[Weaver_cabal|weaver cabals]] for the creation of [[magic items|magic]] banners, tabards and cloaks and their use slowly spread, especially in [[Varushka]], [[the League]] and [[Highguard]]. Today they are regularly used in ritual magic as symbols of entire realms where individual [[Wintermark]] [[runes]] would be too specific or too laden with additional meaning. Many [[eternal|eternals]] recognise these glyphs, and honour their association.</box></div>
==Unreachable By Mortals==
* '''Mortal beings cannot reach the realms and return'''
* '''Mortals who claim to have visited a realm have been in a chamber'''
No mortal has ever visited one of the six realms and returned. Whatever limits there are that prevent an [[eternal]] from entering the mortal world, also serve to prevent a mortal from entering a realm. A handful of mortals have been able to reach a realm. Doing so is fatal unless an eternal strips them of their mortality and transforms them into a herald - at which point they are no longer human or orc in any appreciable way. It is not possible for a player-character to visit a realm.

Mortals who claim to have visited a realm have in fact visited a [[Regio#Portals_and_Chambers|chamber]] - a place that exists part way between the mundane world and the realm. Some of these chambers are very large - one might contain an entire forest for example. Meetings between inhabitants of a realm and mortals are relatively common in such places. All the legendary encounters between eternals and mortals in history took place in chambers.

Over the centuries, the magicians of the Empire have built up a picture of these other worlds from observations of the magical chambers associated with each realm and through discussions with eternals and their heralds.

==Spring==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:SpringRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
Sometimes called the ''Primal Forest'', this is a realm of plant life, first and foremost. There are living creatures in abundance, insects and reptiles proliferate but animals of every kind dwell here. Despite this there is an overwhelming sense that this realm belongs to the plants, that everything else is simply tolerated. Plants and plant-like things of all natures, including ferns and fungus, explode in all directions, often growing to vast sizes. Any type of terrain that can support vegetation can be found here, and there are plenty of rivers, lakes and even shallow seas choked with marine plant life. There are hills and mountains covered in forests of tall pines. These forests spread over much of the realm, but they are populated with clearings and in a few places the trees reluctantly retreat leaving [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meadow#Perpetual_meadows perpetual meadows] filled with grass and wild flowers.

Storms are commonplace throughout the realm, with winds so powerful they uproot trees. When the storms are not blowing, the sun is bright and the sky a brilliant blue, although the realm is always cool and damp, a testament to the frequent rain.

Dead things become alive here – not in the sense of reanimation or reincarnation, but in the sense of being claimed by the realm. A dead body will begin to sprout fungus or tiny plants within a matter of hours and be entirely dissolved by sunset or sunrise, leaving only a few bones among the new plants. Likewise unattended objects, especially organic objects, are quickly consumed. Everything rots, rusts, and decays and in doing so serves as the basis for new life. Structures are virtually unknown unless they are formed from living plants. Dead wooden structures quickly collapse and become overgrown, while stone buildings are rapidly reduced to ruins by questing roots and vines.

The resonances and dissonances of Spring magic can be found [[Spring magic|here]].
===Spring Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Spring}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
! Eternal of Spring
! Concerns
|-
|[[Arhallogen]], the Spider King || Survival, adaptation, poison, arachnids
|-
|[[Irra Harah]], Guard of the Young || Youth, struggle, the weak
|-
|[[Llofir]], the Quiet One || Fungus, rot, decay, collapse
|-
|[[Ossegrahn]], the Cupbearer || Healing, life, fresh water
|-
|[[Siakha]], the Empress of Sharks || Storms, destruction, predation, the sea
|-
|[[Yaw'nagrah]], the Green Mother || Fertility, diversity
|}
</div>
The eternals of Spring are wild creatures, most of whom are either disinterested in civilisation or in the Empire as a political entity, or regard it as their enemy in some way. A being like [[Siakha]] is happy to help anyone who wants to make the world more savage and bloodthirsty and filled with destruction, but that usually makes them the enemy of the Empire and indeed anyone who enjoys the trappings of civilisation. Order and hierarchy are anethema to the Spring realm, and few of the eternals have any interest in aiding those who seek to bring order to the world. [[Yaw'nagrah]] seeks endless growth and eternal change, and the green madness that tears apart farms and cities with equal fervor. [[Arhallogen]] teaches the strong to prey on the weak, and offers cruel weapons that bring swift death to anyone prepared to accept them.

This isn't to say they are all inimical to Imperial citizens; Spring has a more gentle side as well. [[Ossegrahn]] promotes healing of body and mind. [[Llofir]] is not a creature of mindless destruction, but of the cycles of creation and destruction that see the old give way to the new. [[Irra Harah]] is fiercely protective of the young and those ground under the heel of tyrants. The problem is that even the most gentle of the Spring eternals is still a creature of the wild, that at best has no use for the trappings of the modern world and at worst sees them as obstacles that must be torn down.

==Summer==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:SummerRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
The Realm echoes every part of the material world, but exaggerated and amplified in every way. In the realm of might and majesty, everything exists in a timeless moment at its idealised prime. Great oaks tower over the fields of glory, the mountains scrape the skies, the blizzards howl more terrible than any mortal storm and the dark seas are deeper than any mortal ocean. The savage beasts of legend are hunted across the rolling plains by eternals clad in the bright panoply of youth and immortality.

The Realm has creatures that are like animals, but they often possess a magical nature. There are no small animals here – majestic stags, immense eagles, mighty lions, fearsome dragons, awe-inspiring unicorns and leviathan sea creatures are more common. These creatures exist to challenge and provide sport to the inhabitants rather than as creatures atop complex ecosystems.

More than perhaps any other, this is a realm that reflects the whims of the eternals who rule here. Where it is wild, it is wild because they want it to be or let it be. There are no real settlements here as mortals understand them – an eternal may have a castle, or a lodge, or a palace, but there are no fields to be tilled or flocks or herds to be tended. They may have great feasts every night, but there is no suggestion that those feasts are needed to provide sustenance – they are events intended to thrill and entertain rather than sate one's hunger.

Eternals and heralds alike are clad in fine raiment as befits their station. Each item is unique in some way, if an eternal chooses to make something, it is a unique crafted piece and more than likely a powerful artefact, not just another sword. Things are elegant but simple, straightforwardness is a subtle but constant element. This is a realm of bows, not crossbows. It’s a realm of torches rather than lamps. Its not a realm where machines or complex devices have a place.

The resonances and dissonances of Summer magic can be found [[Summer magic|here]].
===Summer Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Summer}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
|-
! Eternal of Summer
! Concerns
|-
| [[Eleonaris]], Queen of the Fields of Glory || Majesty, nobility, battle, victory
|-
|[[Jaheris]], the Shadowed Prince || Rivalry, betrayal, vengeance
|-
|[[Hayaak]], the Gryphon King || Wrath, vengeance, ferocity
|-
|[[Cathan Canae]], Queen of Ice and Darkness || Might, winter, strength, durability
|-
|[[Barien]], the Iron Duke || Challenges, worth, tests
|-
|[[Meraud]], the Golden Magician || Magic, enchantment
|-
|[[Rhianos]], Regent of the Eternal Sea || The sea, seafarers, adventure
|-
|[[Adamant]], King of the Golden Deeps || Stone, beauty, treasure, construction
|}
</div>
The kings and queens of the Summer Realm rule over vast demenses where they spend their time hunting, fighting and feasting. They are rivals to one another, and while they might make alliances from time to time, they rarely last long. The enmity between [[Eleonaris]] and [[Cathan Canae]], two great Queens who contend ceaselessly for land and prestige, is perhaps the best known of these rivalries, and at any given time there are at least one or two other eternals caught up in their endless conflict. Only [[Barien]], the Lord of the Crossroads, seems to avoid the chaos at the heart of the realm, serving as an "elder statesman" whose wisdom and experience are valued by all the many kings and queens of this realm.

Each Summer eternal is a proud and majestic being, and most of them have tempers to match. The self-righteous fury of the summer eternals is legendary, but it will pass if suitably propitiated. And like a storm, if the offending magician can find a suitable way to make amends then it is usually as if it never happened. Those who seek audience with the summer eternals are well-advised to watch their language carefully - all the eternals of Summer style themselves as monarchs or their equals and expect to be treated accordingly. They dislike base flattery, but only when they identify it as such - a magician who offers due respect is likely to prosper.

==Autumn==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:AutumnRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
In the realm of intrigue and influence, everything interweaves in a great shifting web of favour and debt. The horned lords and ladies compete in savage games of wealth and power. They welcome mortals to their councils but beware the bargains of Autumn for, in the ''Iron Labyrinth'', nothing is simple.

The Iron Labyrinth is a bleak landscape painted in crimson, black, and gold. It is a mountainous realm, but it is also a literal labyrinth – the landscape is a massive maze carved out of the ground itself. Sometimes the walls are black, white, or crimson stone, sometimes they are iron or lead, sometimes they are impenetrable thorny thickets or the high walls of natural canyons. Sometimes they are narrow passages where travellers must walk in single file, sometimes they are immense avenues wide enough for an army to march freely down. Sometimes they open into great plazas or clearings large enough to hold a city. Everything here is a little past its prime, however. Metallic ivy spreads across the walls, old structures crumble a little, and vegetation is almost unknown – what plants do exist are usually made of metal or crystal.

Water runs through the Labyrinth, a complex series of canals and locks that feed into a great lake or sea that connects the cities of the realm. It is often raining here, powerful winds are common, and occasional floods or earthquakes are not unknown. While there are regular days and nights and a sun and a moon, there are no seasons. As near as scholars can tell, everything is in the late season of its life. The metal and stone trees resemble the deciduous trees of the mortal world in their autumn finery, the fields (such as they are) are always full of crops ready to be harvested, the orchards and vines are always heavy with peculiar fruit. In theory nobody goes without sustenance in the Realm of Autumn, because it is a realm of plenty and yet many of the inhabitants perpetually have a hungry look in their eyes.

The Iron Labyrinth contains only cities – there are no towns, villages, or hamlets in the Autumn Realm. The inhabitants of these great conurbations cluster together in chaotic, sprawling buildings that link one to the next without pause or thought. Each metropolis is ruled by a single sovereign or prince, a powerful eternal whose nature dominates the city and everyone who lives there and from whom all political power descends.

The realm descends deep beneath the surface as well – beneath the mountains are great delves and mines that criss-cross and interconnect. The passages beneath the surface are dangerous, inhabited by strange creatures and deadly traps, but they create a second labyrinth that forms a dark mirror of the surface world and is a source both of astounding mineral wealth and of clandestine movements.

The resonances and dissonances of Autumn magic can be found [[Autumn magic|here]].
===Autumn Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Autumn}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
|-
! Eternal of Autumn
! Concerns
|-
|[[Basileia]], Prince of the Black Vaults || Intrigue, espionage, power
|-
|[[Callidus]], Prince of the Argent Tontine || Greed, avarice, desire
|-
|[[Ephisis]], the Hidden Prince || Trade, commerce and investment, value
|-
|[[Estavus]], the Forgemistress || Crafting, building, artisans
|-
|The [[Lictors]], the Chainbound || Binding, imprisonment, punishment, contracts
|-
|[[Mazen]] of the Many Faces (destroyed) || <s>Manipulation, Deception</s>
|-
|[[Prospero]], Lord of the Loom || Influence, favours, grudges
|}
</div>
The Autumn realm, is a land of cities, each of which is ruled by a single eternal, a sovereign or prince from whom all political power descends. Some say the city itself is the eternal, and those who dwell there are simply manifestations of the city's identity. In any case, all these conurbations are a hotbed of competition and rivalry, with factions of heralds vying to outdo each other at every turn. All of this seems to be actively encouraged by those who rule over these domains and mortals who approach them would do well to remember that. The rules of the Autumn realm reward ambition and encourage those who seek to get ahead.

More than any other realm, the occupants of the Autumn realm are highly transactional. Relations may be cordial or frosty based on past form, but there is little in the way of friendship here. Rather each eternal is interested in what will advance their interests - and what will profit those who deal with them. They are candid about seeking their own advantage and comfortable with those who are self-aware and confident enough to reciprocate.

It is wise to be careful when dealing with the eternals of the Autumn realm. While they don't embody the savage fury of the Spring Realm, the hot rage of Summer or the cold hatred of winter, they remember those who have crossed them and look to ensure that every debt is repaid in full, with interest.

==Winter==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:WinterRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
The ''Wasteland'' is hungry. It is a realm of creaking dread, of fear and famine without the memory of dusk or the hope of dawn. From the parching heat of the dusty desert halls, past wastelands of bleak stone and abrasive sand, and tundra decorated with razor ice to the frigid silence of snow-drowned forests,. Ruins litter the landscape like fallens leaves, suggesting that there were once cities and towns here, but if that were true, none now remember their names. There are at least two ruined cities in the realm, one of them standing on the shores of a tideless black sea that is inexorably drowning the buildings that remain.

In some ways it is almost as if the realm itself is on the verge of death. The length of day and night is not set – a day might last a few hours and a night last for what seems like a week. Sometimes the sun fails to rise for months on end, and when it does put in an appearance it is a baleful red orb that hangs low in the sky. At night the moon is wan and sallow, and provides minimal illumination. It’s dangerous to carry lights in this hungry night, however, for light and warmth attract the denizens of the realm.

What weather there is here is poor. Blizzards and bone-chilling cold are obvious, but it is also a realm of drought, where drinkable water is as scarce as wholesome food. The occupants of the realms do ''need'' to eat or drink to survive, and yet every inhabitant of the winter realm is plagued by hunger and thirst that gnaws at their senses and can never be sated.

There are said to be oases in the wilderness of Winter but these are dangerous places. The eternals of Winter are monsters who make little effort to conceal their cruel natures. Their homes may sometimes appear well-lit and replete with food and warmth, but their owners demand a steep price from their guests, and maintain esoteric bans that can easily be broken by visitors who don’t know the rules. It is a realm of wisdom, but it is the cruel wisdom that comes with age and experience, the wisdom of hard choices and the certainty of death.

The resonances and dissonances of Winter magic can be found [[Winter magic|here]].
===Winter Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Winter}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
|-
! Eternal of Winter
! Concerns
|-
|[[Agramant]], the Hunter in the Wastes || Hunger, cannibalism, madness, dread
|-
|[[Kaela]], the Lady of Oblivion || Entropy, despair, endings
|-
|[[Sorin]], the Tomb King || Privation, strength from weakness
|-
|[[The Thrice-cursed Court]], the Bound || Curses, power at a price, spite
|-
|[[Wise Rangara]], the Ancient One || Wisdom, tradition,
|}
</div>
The eternals of Winter are often regarded as monsters, and of them all [[Agramant]] seems to take the greatest delight in filling that role. They are uniformly cruel, their nature unforgiving. [[The Thrice-cursed Court]] spread malice, jealousy, spite, and hate in their wake, while [[Sorin]] ensures that the price paid for his boons is always just a little more painful than the bargainer expects. Even [[Wise Rangara]], arguably the most sympathetic of them, lacks any real empathy. She won't hesitate to demand a child remove their own eye in exchange for a boon, reflecting the way that wisdom always comes with a price in the Winter realm.

Perhaps their saving grace is the fact that they don't hide their natures. They never really pretend to be anything other than they are, and make no bones about the fact that they are creatures that should be feared. As with all eternals they are creatures of their realm, sharing in the resonances that manifest in Winter magic, and as such they are not ''solely'' cruel nor do they consider themselves to be wicked. [[Kaela]], for example, understands that an ending can be a mercy, while for all her harshness Wise Rangara genuinely attempts to teach lessons of wisdom and responsibility to those she deals with. Many of them offer boons of protection, warding, and perseverance alongside their darker gifts, and even Agramant never ''forces'' people to take his monstrous boons - knowing their their own greed, weakness of character, or ambition will be more than enough to deliver the foolish into his clutches.

==Day==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:DayRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
A realm of spirit and of shining light, a realm of Sea and Sky. Where the sky and the ocean meet, in the heights and the depths, the eternals of Day seek infinite understanding of the truths of creation. It is a realm that celebrates reason over impulse, thought over instinct, harmony over passion. It is the realm of the higher mind, of the birth of revelation and the death of secrets.

That air itself glows with a golden radiance that seems to cover from all directions, despite the empty sky. In place of a golden sun there is only a limitless vault that becomes brighter and brighter as one looks upwards until the glow is too bright to look upon. The clouds are shimmering fields of silver and gold that drift lazily around in proscribed orbits, never diminishing or increasing in size. The realm itself is a vast ocean of clear water that becomes darker and darker blue as the depth increases. Several miles beneath the surface are structures or creatures that glow with their own light, and to an observer on the surface it might appear that the depths of the ocean are full of stars.

The Realm is scattered with a multitude of islands, a swirling archipelago that never ends. The smallest are a few dozen metres from one shore to the other, the largest approach the size of an Imperial territory. These islands do not exist just on the surface of the water, however. Great blocks of stone and coral hang impossibly in the air, or are drowned deep in the ocean. The inhabitants of the realm move between them with great facility – but the further from the surface an island is, the more important and powerful the beings who dwell there.

Because the air itself glows there are no shadows here. The water of the ocean is so clear that it is many many fathoms before this glow becomes hazy, and due to a peculiar property of the realm the ability to perceive is never impeded. Even in the deepest and darkest abyss, where the light from the sky has faded almost to nothing, creatures can see and hear as if stood on the surface. Such abysses are rare; the depths of the endless ocean are replete with plants that create their own illumination, shimmering crystalline coral, and creatures that radiate all the colours of the rainbow.

Some pre-Imperial mystics claimed that if one were to go down far enough into the ocean, to the point where the very last of the light is gone, one could travel directly to the highest parts of the Realm of Night. This is one of the beliefs of those who teach that the Realm of Day and the Realm of Night are the same realm, rather than two different realms. Eternals of Day and Night both find the idea unbelievably foolish.

The resonances and dissonances of Day magic can be found [[Day magic|here]].
===Day Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Day}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
|-
! Eternal of Day
! Concerns
|-
|[[Cold Sun]] || Order, perfection, purity
|-
|[[Kimus]] of the Thousand Eyes || Light, scrying, observation
|-
|[[Leviathan]], the Deepest One || History, foundations, causation
|-
|[[Phaleron]], the Great Library || Knowledge, preservation
|-
|[[Roshanwe]], the Navigator || Discovery, wisdom, truth
|-
|[[Sinokenon]], the Turning Mirror || Hierarchy, connections, religion
|-
|[[Ylenwe]], the Dove || Harmony, mathematics, music
|-
|[[Zakalwe]], the Strategist || Conflict, logistics, strategy
|}
</div>
The eternals of the Day realm are almost uniformly interested in knowledge and precision, discipline and structure. They are slow to anger and rarely allow their emotions to rule their reason. They prize clarity of thought and clear expression and expect those who commune with them to speak their mind. One of the few ways to annoy a day eternal is to waste their time, whether that is by engaging in small talk, tomfoolery or just a lack of discipline and clarity if your approach.

They generally dislike chaos and disorder, and those who spread it. They are rarely transactional, the best way to persuade a day eternal to aid you is usually with compelling logic and a convincing case rather than offers of incentives or payments. They are much more concerned, however, with procedures and principles than other eternals - recent boons from several of these eternals have specifically required the [[Imperial Conclave]] to accept and determine the parameters of those boons. They are more likely than eternals of other realms to want to deliver their boons via the established Imperial houses of power rather than with individual magicians.

==Night==
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px;">[[File:NightRune.jpg|267px]]</div>
A realm of spirit and of eternal shadow, a realm of endless ancient forest where passion rules, thought gives way to instinct, and joy and terror are both a breath away. The coiling serpents and enigmatic wyrms of Night whisper of the joy of mysteries, and of the riddles whose beauty lies in the act of unravelling rather than the revelation of the secrets wrapped within.

The Realm of Night is, unsurprisingly, dark. The sky is always black, but it is peppered with tiny winking stars. There is usually no moon here, but there are often dim sources of illumination that serve to create oases of safety – or danger – in the general darkness. Firepits, lanterns and torches are common elements here, often serving as the centre of a small settlement or the site for a few hours of revel or battle.

The Realm of Night has weather – hot and sultry or cold and bitter. It might rain, or there might be a dense fog. Weather conditions tend to suggest the presence of an eternal or other powerful entity in the vicinity – the weather, like the realm itself, is subject to the will of those who rule here.

Much of the Realm exists beneath the ground – there are caverns the size of countries in which forests and cities exist, as well as winding mazes that dip through three dimensions in their complexity. The underground realm is as fecund and magical as the aboveground realm – where there is no soil, the rock itself gives forth life in the shape of multicoloured mushrooms and luminous mosses.

The surface is wild, and unconstrained. Much of it is covered in dark forest – and folk tales say that this forest connects in places directly to the darkest and wildest parts of the mortal world and one who has abandoned rationality (drunks and distraught lovers) can wander across the boundaries into the Realm of Night if they are not careful.

The resonances and dissonances of Night magic can be found [[Night magic|here]].
===Night Eternals===
<div style="height: 0;">{{Anchor|Eternals of Night}}</div>
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 50%;">
{|
|-
! scope="col" style="width: 320px;" | Eternal of Night
! Concerns
|-
| The [[Azoth]]</sup>, the Crucible
|Transformation, alchemy, enlightenment, change
|-
|[[Janon]], the Shadowed Fire
|Passion, freedom
|-
|[[Lashonar]], the Loquacious
|Stories, confusion, speech that moves, oratory
|-
|[[Sadogua]], Brother of Wizards
|Magicians, magic, power, manipulation
|-
|[[Sung]], the Rainbow Serpent
|Mysteries and enigmas
|-
|The [[Whisper Gallery]], the Shadow Courtiers
|Secrets, rumour, art
|}
</div>
The eternals of the Night Realm are divided into serpents and wyrms. The serpents - [[Azoth]], [[Sung]], and (allegedly) the [[Whisper Gallery]] - have wings and no limbs and are ephemeral and cerebral in nature. The wyrms - [[Lashonar]], [[Sadogua]] and [[Janon]] - have limbs but no wings and are more grounded and earthy in nature. All the Night eternals enjoy clever wordplay, elegant language, and a degree of flattery, though for the most part it is elocution and the sophistication of language that they enjoy rather than crude words of admiration or praise.

Night eternals are mercurial by nature and their moods are volatile and sensitive to the smallest detail. They tend to be enigmatic, both in temperament and reasoning and can be difficult to comprehend. The wyrms are given to powerful emotions, but their moods rarely last for long. The serpents are more cryptic, expressing esoteric thinking when provoked.

The Night eternals are shapeshifters, able to change their appearance to suit their wishes. Eternals of other realms [[Eternal#Shifting_Faces,_Different_Forms|sometimes appear differently]], but that is not something they seem to have much or any control over. But in the Night Realm, an eternal's appearance is always a deliberate choice, a mask that they have chosen to wear to present themselves to the world.

Where they interact with the Empire, the eternals of Night are more likely to favour individual magicians or covens, and deal with the established structures of power only when they must. They tend to promote individualism, and are often suspicious of attempts to constrain or limit personal freedom. This can bring them into conflict with Imperial citizens, as they encourage unruly or even downright illegal behaviour in those who deal with them.

In 382YE, two other eternals of the Night realm - [[Murit]] the Shaper and [[Soghter]], Changer of the Ways - were unified to create a new eternal with the assistance of Imperial magicians.
</onlyinclude>

{{Cosmology Further Reading}}

[[Category:Magic]][[Category:Eternals]]

Basileia

2025-01-23T13:15:28Z

Rosemary: /* Sobriquets */ typo fix

{{CaptionedImage|file=BasileusArt.jpg|title="Locks" artist unknown. The waters of the City of Locks are said to be a profound poison, but that any mortal who drinks them and survives is granted consummate skill in espionage and treachery.|caption=''Locks'' depicts a city of complex interconnecting intrigues and schemes.|align=left|width=400}}
==Eternal of Autumn==
==Sobriquets==
The ''Sovereign Lord of the City of Locks'' changes in a way few other eternals do. The current incumbent has chosen the title ''Basileia'', or sometimes ''Basileia Brazen''.

She is sometimes referred to as the ''Princess of Weirs'', a further reference to the canals that criscross her domain, as well as the ''Carver of Cliques'', alluding to her concern with small, exclusive groups. She enjoys being called the ''Crown of the Archway'', referring to her status as an essential and load-bearing part of the City. She has also been called the ''Mistress of Falls''; while on the surface this is another reference to her city's many canals, it is also a hint at the fate that awaits those who challenge her status.

She is sometimes known as the ''Patron of Spies and Traitors'' due to her role in keeping other people's secrets. Brazen is dubbed ''Princess of the Black Vaults'', in recognition of the role that espionage and military defence play in her realm – and of the oubliettes to which those who fail or displease her are consigned.

While she sometimes appears in male or monstrous guises, Basileia is currently referred to with feminine pronouns. Basileia is confirmed to be her title as ruler of her city – her personal name is Brazen.

Several sources reference ''Basileus Kade'', and ''Basileus Flynt'', as former rulers of the City of Locks. The latter, allegedly an Imperial citizen before some kind of poorly understood "ascension", usurped the former as Sovereign Lord. They in turn were apparently deposed by the [[Lictors]] following their involvement in the destruction of the entity known as [[Mazen|Mazen of the Masks]]. Given that ''Basileia'' is the third ruler of the City of Locks in the last decade it is likely that there are many more, their names lost to history. This unique pattern inspires a great deal of discussion among scholars of the eternal realms; what does it mean that the identity of the Sovereign Lord of the City of Locks seems to change while other eternals remain constant?
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Seven Locks 2.jpg|caption=The inhabitants of the CIty of Locks are caught in an endless struggle for power and position that regularly spills over into the mortal world.|align=left|width=250}}</div>

==Appearance==
Basileia has two distinct forms, and swaps between them as they wish. Most commonly she appears to be a woman dressed in the well-tailored clothes of a professional of some kind. She can also appear as the Beast of the Locks; a monstrous horned creature reserved for the darkest deeds. While she rarely carries a weapon in her other guises, as the Beast she may wield a brutal weapon or even two. When she is encountered in this form, all pretense of civilisation is abandoned, and she appears entirely consumed with the ruthless application of power to achieve one's goals. All the scholars agree - deal with the Beast of Locks ''extremely carefully''. The Sovereign Lord of the City of Locks was once known to take the form of a lithe young man as well, but this guise has not been seen since the ascension of Basileia Brazen.

It is not common for an Autumn eternal to change shape so freely, and scholars of the eternals theorize that she does so via access to an item of power, possibly a mask or the Belt of Locks. Others suggest that it is a demonstration of the dual-faced nature of those who seek power. They may appear civilised and mannered when it suits them, but are capable of ruthless brutality when their ambition demands it.
{{CaptionedImage|file=IconBasilius.png |caption=Triptych believed to show servitors of the City of Locks, intended for use in ritual magic.|align=left|width=400}}
However else she appears, she is always wealthy, powerful and in control. Regardless of form, she wears discreet yet obviously valuable jewelery to reinforce her appearance as a person of high station. Regardless of her attire, she invariably wears a belt with a lock and set of chains chains worn over the buckle.

Like her predecessors, Basileia almost never appears alone. She may remain aloof, allowing her heralds to do the talking for her (especially when she is in the guise of the Beast of the Locks). Other times she plays the gracious host, entertaining guests with conversation and fine food - but a guest should never forget that this creature is a being of intrigue and power, and that very little she says or does should be taken at face value.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Carolinus_Kade.jpg|caption=Carolinus, an inhabitant of the City of Locks. The citizens of the city are divided into dozens of competing factions, guilds, secret societies, and cabals.|align=right|width=250}}</div>

==Concerns==
While previous eternal rulers of the City of Locks have kept only a thin veil over their obsession with power and control, Basileia Brazen has worked to present a more pleasing face to the outside world. The naive may believe that this indicates some fundamental change under her rule, but those who pry beneath the surface will find the same dog-eat-dog city with a ruler no less ruthless than her predecessors.

Ultimately, the concern of Basileia Brazen, and indeed everyone within the City of Locks, revolve around the ways that social and political structures can be used to dominate other people. Unlike some of her predecessors, the ''Crown of the Archway'' is quite open about the fact that her power exists as a result of the collective efforts of others. She claims that it comes from the fact that she has made herself as close to irreplaceable as possible – her underlings may resent that she has more power than they do, but they know they would be worse off without her - a state of affairs she works very hard to maintain.

While her primary concern is her own power, the ''Princess of Weirs'' is known to have a fondness for certain mortal nations and institutions that she believes embody her philosophies. She finds the conflict between the various Imperial houses of state to be endlessly fascinating, and apparently holds the position of [[the Throne]] in high regard, seeing it as something similar to her own position. She approves of the ruthless internal politics of [[the League]], especially since the Apulian Orcs joined them. She has an interest in the pragmatism and religious philosophies of the [[Navarr]], although some vates claim that she fundamentally misunderstands the nature of self-sacrifice for the greater good and should under no circumstances be allowed to offer advice to any guides. She also has a strange fascination with the [[Imperial Orcs]] that she refuses to explain, although whether she will disproportionately favour or disfavour any given Unshackled as a result is never a sure bet.
<div style="float: right; margin-left:10px; max-width: 40%; clear: right;"><ic><big>'''''Basileus Flint is gone, and now Basileia Brazen sits on the throne of the City of Locks and all is right with the world, all is right with the world, and all manner of things are now right.'''''</big></ic></div>
Outside the Empire, the Carver of Cliques is said to favour both the populist authoritarianism of the [[Commonwealth]] and the dynamic oligarchy of the [[Principalities of Jarm]], seeing things to admire in both. How much of a hand she is taking in either nation is unknown, but the fact that they hate one another does not seem to concern her in the slightest.

==Boons==
The Sovereign Lady of the City of Locks gathers secrets; not mystical secrets like the eternals of Night, but the secrets gathered by spies and agents who watch and record what the people around them are doing. She spreads her power by making herself useful to people who seek power themselves – anyone could become a node in her web of influence and control. She helps those who seek to exploit systems, to become the indispensable linchpins of their own personal networks, granting them the power to abuse their station without the fear of reprisal. Of course, anyone who receives help from the Princess of Weirs should be aware that they themselves are playing into her hands. Altruism is alien to the City of Locks, and if you aren't buying something, you're being sold.
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Flint.jpg|caption=Flint, before his alleged ascension.|align=left|width=250}}</div>
Dealing with the Basileia herself may be profitable, but it is far more likely that an enterprising citizen may find themselves making common cause with one of the [[#The Five Pillars|Five Pillars]]. Each of the Sovereign Lady's advisors is constantly working to build up their network of contacts in order to outshine their peers, and advancing their City's interests in the mortal realm is the surest way to do that. Those looking for hidden information, the chance to move prohibited goods, or to make illicit connections may well benefit from making friends in the City of Locks. However, these connections are not likely to provide any easy answers in the long term. The Five Pillars cannot afford to take unnecessary risks with their position, and are far more likely to furnish their allies with chances to take those risks on their behalf. Assassins from the City of Locks are unlikely to kill the Empire's enemies, but they may point out opportunities for Imperial citizens to wield the knife themselves.

Those dealing with Brazen should take care to remember that trade is not her primary goal; it is a means to increasing her power and control over the world. While some Autumn eternals engage in trade for the love of the deal and its subtleties, ultimately Brazen is concerned only with power over others. Playing the game with the Sovereign Lady of Locks is not for the fainthearted. Although the potential rewards are great, the risks are possibly even worse. The Archway's Crown has no love for those who beat her at her own game.
==The Five Pillars==
Previous iterations of the City of Locks channeled the quintessential struggle of its inhabitants through the Charter Houses, associations built around control of certain districts. This system fell apart after the removal of Basileus Flint, and Basileia Brazen has made no effort to re-establish it. Instead she has created a council of advisors known within the City of Locks as the ''Five Pillars''. While Brazen calls the shots, she has allowed these figures an unprecedented level of influence in the exercise of her City's power. The current Five Pillars are:
<div style="float:right; width: 250px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=City of Locks.png|align=right|width=250|caption=The Five Pillars serve as advisors to Basileia, each convinced they have her special favour.}}</div>
* '''Overseer Hook of the Surveyors' Cartel''', to whom the City's many spies and informants ultimately report.
* '''Boss Callarook of the Union of Lock-Keepers and Stevedores''', who controls smuggling and other lucrative illicit operations within the City.
* '''Mistress Alabaster of the Guild of Accountants''', who directs the City's assassins.
* '''President Orlando of the City Of Locks Benevolent Association''', who arranges bribery and hushes up corruption.
* '''Facilitator Kaige of the Matchmaker's Forum''', who organises the many conspiracies and conspiratorial groups that take root within the City.

Each of these figures seems to represent one of Basileia Brazen's primary interests and may be encountered alone or with their own underlings in pursuit of those aims. Those who have interacted with more than one of them describe the Five Pillars as a group riven with rapidly shifting splits and temporary alliances, constantly jostling and feuding with one another. Each believes themselves to have their Basileia’s special favour, unlike the others who are mere tools. A disgruntled City of Locks resident who preferred the old regime once called them "the most toxic workplace romance in all the Realms" while drunk at a party. The herald passed out shortly after their next drink, and suffered a deadly seizure within the hour.
{{anchor|The_Truth_About_Basileia}}<box>'''The Truth About Basileia'''<br>Most recent historical records refer to Basileus Kade as the ruler of the the City of Locks. During the Autumn Equinox 379YE, following a significant period of turmoil in the City of Locks, Kade was supplanted by a citizen of the [[The League|League]] city of [[Tassato]]. The details of precisely ''how'' Flint was able to claim this position and become Basileus Flint are known only to those directly involved. What the political, religious (and legal) implications of this ascension, assuming it is even real, are extremely unclear. Now Basileus Flint is also gone, apparently "replaced" by on the throne of the City of Locks by Basileia Brazen. Her ascension apparently begain in Summer 385YE with the [[Inkpot_gods#All_That.27s_Fit_To_Read|disappearance]] of the eternal [[Mazen]], and an Imperial Orc named Ashborn Trosk was apparently [[All_my_magic_friends#Ashborn_Trosk_and_the_Mysterious_Prison|involved]] in the removal of Flynt by the Lictors. In Autumn 386YE, in response to a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] message from the Archmage of Autumn, Basileia formally declared her [[Seven_locks#City_of_Locks|dominion of the City of locks]] to the Empire and announced significant changes to the way her domain would be operating in future.</box>
[[Category:Eternals]]

Seer of the Gateway

2025-01-13T16:25:08Z

Rosemary: /* Overview */ typo fix

{{CaptionedImage|file=Livia_played_by_Isobel_Hooper.jpg|title=Livia of the Spire of the Celestial Cascade, first Seer of the Gateway|caption=The Seer of the Gateway ensures the safety of citizens<br>experiencing a [[true liao]] vision and records their experiences.|align=right|width=300}}
==Overview==
The position was [[Create_title_of_Seer_of_the_Gateway|established]] by the Senate at the Winter Solstice summit of 379YE. The Seer of the Gateway exists to ensure the safety, and record the experiences, of citizens returning from a [[past life vision]].

The first Seer of the Gateway was '''Livia of the Spire of the Celestial Cascade''' of [[Urizen]], appointed in Winter 379YE by the Assembly of the Nine. No other candidates were considered. Livia is a skilled Torchbearer with years of experience helping visionaries to recall every last detail of their vision, as well as dealing with the side-effects of the process. Even before being appointed to the title, she would often approach visionaries to ask for permission before their vision, and wait for them to emerge afterwards.

When it was created, The Seer of the Gateway had the power to withdraw funds directly from the [[Rewarding|virtue fund]]. Shortly before the Summer Solstice 385YE, however, the Constitutional Court ruled that the [[Rings_and_crowns#Virtue_and_Reward|ability to withdraw funds directly from the virtue fund was unconstitutional]], and struck the power down.

==Responsibilities==
The Seer of the Gateway has four main responsibilities. Firstly, to safeguard the well-being of visionaries and guide priests partaking in [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]]. They are also expected to record the visions, and experiences, of visionaries and guide priests, as well as to publish and disseminate their records and any conclusions. Finally, they are expected to be able to purchase [[liao]] and other paraphernalia in support of their duties.
==Powers==
===Stipend===
The Seer of the Gateway receives a stipend of two thrones each season from the Imperial Treasury.
__TOC__

===Publication===
The Seer of the Gateway is expected to compile and publish accounts of Imperial [[true liao]] visions. During the Summer Solstice 382YE, the Imperial Senate agreed to pay to [[Amend_distribution_of_Echoes_of_the_Labyrinth|distribute]] copies of these documents to every foreign nation with which the Empire trades. This decision was [[Amend_distribution_of_Echoes_of_the_Labyrinth|amended]] to exclude the [[Iron Confederacy]].

==Appointment==
The Seer of the Gateway is [[appointment|appointed]] by [[judgement]] of the [[Assembly#Assembly_of_the_Nine|Assembly of the Nine]].

Any Imperial citizen may hold the title. The Seer has [[tenure]], and serves until they die or step down. They can be [[revocation|revoked]] by the [[Assembly#General_Assembly|General Assembly]] and by the Assembly of the Nine.

==Publication==
In the Spring of 380YE Livia struck a publication deal with the Spider's Vantage Spire of Redoubt, who published her accounts of visionaries' experiences across the Empire. You can find the existing ''Echoes of the Labyrinth'' texts below; the Spider's Vantage Spire have let it be known that they intend to publish more after each Anvil summit.

During the Summer Solstice 382YE, the Senate agreed to [[Disseminate_True_Liao_visions|fund the distribution]] of Echoes of the Labyrinth to foreign nations - or at least to the nations the Empire trades with. Some foreign nations have received the volumes enthusiastically, some a little less so. Details of the somewhat mixed response can be found [[Disseminate_True_Liao_visions#Distribution|here]].
{|
|-
|'''Dates of Visions''' || '''Volume'''
|-
|Winter 376 YE - Autumn 377 YE || [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/8/8d/EchoesoftheLabyrinth1.pdf Volume 1]
|-
|Winter 377 YE - Autumn 378 YE || [http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/4/45/EchoesoftheLabyrinth2.pdf Volume 2]
|-
|Winter 378 YE - Autumn 379 YE || [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/7/75/Echoes_of_the_Labyrinth_3.pdf Volume 3]
|-
|Winter 379 YE - Autumn 380 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/f/f9/Echoes_of_the_Labyrinth_4.pdf Volume 4]
|-
|Winter 380 YE - Autumn 381 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/8/87/EchoesoftheLabyrinth5.pdf Volume 5]
|-
|Winter 381 YE - Autumn 382 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/8/87/EchoesoftheLabyrinth6.pdf Volume 6]
|-
|Winter 382 YE - Autumn 383 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/6/6d/EchoesoftheLabyrinth7.pdf Volume 7]
|-
|Winter 383 YE - Autumn 384 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/a/a4/EchoesoftheLabyrinth8.pdf Volume 8]
|-
|Winter 384 YE - Autumn 385 YE|| [https://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/mediawiki-public/images/f/fc/EchoesoftheLabyrinth9.pdf Volume 9]
|-
|}
{{RecentElections|Seer_of_the_Gateway}}
[[Category:Synod]]
[[Category:Title]]

Shadowed Torchbearer

2024-12-06T18:57:56Z

Rosemary: /* Gifts of the Night Sword */

<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=JanonArt.png|caption=The Shadowed Torchbearer enjoys the patronage of [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]]|align=right|width=400}}</div>
==Overview==
The Shadowed Torchbearer is an [[Imperial title]] created by the Imperial Senate during the [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Create_title_of_Shadowed_Torchbearer|Spring Equinox 386YE]] following an [[Skeleton_key#Shadowed_Torchbearer_(Janon)|offer]] presented by [[Janon]].
__NOTOC__
==Responsibilities==
The Shadowed Torchbearer has a responsibility to fan the flames of passion in the Empire through whatever means are available (but especially magic), and to serve as a go-between for the [[Janon|Shadowed Fire]] and the Conclave as they need it.

==Powers==
===Gifts of the Night Sword===
The Shadowed Torchbearer receives gifts crafted by Janon. The exact details of these are unknown but it is expected that they will take the form of a [[Magic_items#Talismans|focus]], a [[Magic_items#Armour|mage robe]], and some form of [[Potion|liquor]].

==Appointment==
The appointment, replacement or removal of the Shadowed Torchbearer is made by the [[Declaration]] of [[Candidacy]] as part of a [[Conclave session]].

The Shadowed Torchbearer serves until they are replaced by another magician using the Declaration of Candidacy. The Shadowed Torchbearer cannot be [[Revocation|revoked]] by the [[Imperial Synod]].

{{RecentElections|Shadowed_Torchbearer}}
{{Responsibilities Expectation}}
[[Category:Title]]
[[Category:Conclave]]

Merrow

2024-10-15T14:01:09Z

Rosemary: /* Deep Silence */

<div class="toclimit-2">
__TOC__
</div>
{{CaptionedImage|file=MerrowShoulder.jpg|title=Many merrow remain detached from their companions.|width=400|align=left}}
==Overview==
The merrow are touched by the realm of [[Day]], a realm of reason and shining light where sky and ocean merge. They are rational, calm, curious people who are fascinated by the complexity of the cosmos.

Merrow prefer roles that allow them to remain principled and detached. They are at home in the Conclave - some of the Empire's most brilliant magicians have been merrow - but they also flourish in the Synod, where their calm reason allows them to judge others impartially. A few merrow have a fascination for economics but many find trade and commerce prosaic. Few merrow are effective battle leaders, they often lack the charisma and passion to motivate soldiers, but they do make effective generals, having a ready mastery for strategy and tactics. The passion and oratory required of politics, as well as the inevitable grubby compromises, often vex them.

The merrow lineage is intended to appeal to not only players who want to create scholastic, intellectual or magician character concepts, but also to anyone who enjoys gathering information. Spies, scouts and loremasters of all types all make good merrow characters.
===Sobriquets===
Other terms for merrow, both within the Empire and in other parts of the world, include: Tritons, Merfolk, Fendwellers, Vodyanoi

==What they are not==
* '''Emotionless robots''': Although merrow are calm and cerebral, they still experience the full range of human emotions and none of them have any difficulty identifying, understanding and sympathising with human emotions in other people.
* '''Fish people'''. Merrow may have gills, finned ears, barbells, and other piscine features but these these features are designed to give them an otherworldly look, and enhance their calm and cerebral demeanour. Merrow are not fish, nor are they related to other creatures that live in the sea like crabs, jellyfish, squid, or similar.

==Iconic trapping==
Each lineage has an iconic [[Lineage#Trappings|trapping]]; in the case of the merrow it is gills. This is the most common physical mark for lineaged characters but they are not a required element. If you do not have the iconic trapping, however, you ''must'' have at least one of the [[#Other physical trappings|other physical trappings]] associated with the merrow lineage.
===Gills===
Gills are the definitive trapping of a merrow. These need to be represented by prosthetics, as make-up lines drawn onto the skin are not identifiable enough as gills. Gills should be in pairs on either side of the face or neck, or in some rare cases both.

==Other trappings==
In addition to [[#Gills|gills]] there are a number of physical trappings that mark someone as being of the merrow lineage. If you want to phys-rep one of the trappings with a slightly different technique or style to the ideas suggested here then that is absolutely fine. If you want to use different trappings to the ones listed then you should [mailto:matt@profounddecisions.co.uk email us].
===Barbels===
Many merrow have barbels. Barbels are hanging tendrils around the mouth, like those of a catfish, the moustache of a Chinese dragon, or even something suggestive of D&D illithid facial tentacles. You will need to use a prosthetic to create barbels.

===Mottled Skin===
Some merrow have patches of mottled skin that are light or dark blue. This can range from patches of mottling or discolouration to a whole body effect. Make-up can be used to create this effect. If you are adopting this trapping for your character you should either paint or cover all visible skin or else design the areas that are coloured to make it clear that you have mottled skin - do not paint your entire face in one solid colour and then leave your neck and ears unpainted.
===Scales===
Merrow may have areas of their body that are covered in thin blue scales, like the scales on a fish. You can achieve this effect with make-up or prosthetics; in the latter case it is a good idea to paint the skin around the scales in a matching colour to blend them in.
===Blank Eyes===
Merrow eyes often contain no distinct iris or pupil and are either entirely white or entirely black. Cosmetic contact lenses can be used to achieve this. The iris should be the normal shape but should be entirely white or black.
===Bulging Eyes===
High lineage merrow sometimes have large protruding eyes that bulge out of the skull sockets. These eyes are usually entirely white or black in colour. This is a very hard effect to achieve but can be done using lenses that cover the eyes which are set into a prosthetic or domino mask worn on or over the upper face.
===Crest===
Some bald merrow have a crest of protruding skin over the centre of the head, like the crest of a newt. The best way to do this is usually with a prosthetic skull cap but if you are naturally bald you may be able to attach a prosthetic crest directly to your skin.
===Fins===
Some merrow have wide, fin-like ears. A few merrow have fins: crests of skin that hang down from the arms. It may be possible to create these effectively using costume or prosthetics.

===Webbed Fingers===
Some merrow have webbed fingers. This may be possible using thin thin gloves that have been adapted or specially made prosthetics that fit between the fingers.
===Blue-green Hair===
A few merrow have been born with blue-green hair. This can be achieved with a wig or dye. In a few extreme cases some or all of the hair is replaced with long thin blue-green tentacles.
===Luminous Patches===
A small number of merrow have a few spots or lines of [[#mottled skin|mottled skin]] that emit dim light. Only mottled skin is affected in this way, and it is only small, thin glowing marks on the skin that are affected - never the whole area. The effect should be discreet and can be achieved with dots or brush-strokes of luminous or light-capturing paint.
===Not Trappings===
====Angler-fish Lures====
Merrow are not fish people; they cannot have angler-fish lures.

==Gallery==
<fourpicture>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Webbed.jpg|caption=Webbed fingers and fins|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow Eyes.jpg|caption=Eyes with no distinct pupil|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=UrizenMerrow.png|align=right|caption=Barbels and mottled skin|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow Navarr.jpg|caption=Scale patches, gills, and fins|width=2000}}
</fourpicture>

==Roleplaying==
<picturecolumn float=right width=40% maxwidth=400px>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow and Horse.jpg|align=right|caption=Merrow can be very single minded|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Contemplative Merrow.jpg|width=2000|caption=Merrow seek rational explanations for events}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Conspiring Merrow.jpg|caption=Merrow are by no means joyless or humourless.|width=2000}}
</picturecolumn>
Merrow blood influences the character of the one who possesses it. Not every merrow expresses these effects to the same degree, but characters who demonstrate these roleplaying trappings possess stronger lineage than those who do not.
{{anchor|curious}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow are curious</p>
They want to know things. Some are experts – they are fascinated by an area of understanding and seek to master it. Others are polymaths and want to know absolutely everything. Merrow tend to be split between those who like to study books and discuss knowledge and those who prefer to be active in the world testing things and trying out new ideas.
{{anchor|calm}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow are calm</p>
Merrow are far from emotionless, but they tend to experience their own emotions in a more detached way than many humans. They are conscious of them, but not moved by them. As a result they tend to assume a calm demeanour and are rarely if ever overcome with emotion. This emotional detachment means that some merrow must make a conscious effort to be a part of events as they happen, otherwise they find themselves simply observing. A merrow at a banquet for example, may find themselves watching and analysing the conversations happening around them rather than taking part.
{{anchor|cerebral}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow are cerebral</p>
All merrow tend to analyse things, looking to understand what is happening and why. They seek to find a rational explanation for things and like to test theories and ideas to see if they are correct. They enjoy games of skill and finesse and dislike games of chance. Many merrow find the idea of things beyond their rational understanding or ability to control frustrating and unpleasant.
{{anchor|focused}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow are focused</p>
Some merrow are very single-minded. They pursue the things that interest them with stubborn doggedness, but find it difficult to show interest in other matters, no matter how important they are to others. They may even become oblivious to the things that do not interest them. Merrow fixate on goals as well as ideas or problems, allowing them to focus very intently on their objectives when they choose to.
{{anchor|quiet}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow have a quiet demeanour</p>
Merrow don’t have to whisper but they often express their cerebral nature by speaking in a calm, low voice. This effect can be enhanced by remaining still and avoiding hand gestures and large body movements while talking. This cannot be your only trapping - you must have at least one physical trapping as part of your lineage.
{{anchor|water}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow are relaxed in water</p>
Merrow feel calm and relaxed underwater. They don't panic as others might when submerged, and all their bodily functions slow when they are underwater. This quality gives them a unique ability to [[#Deep Silence|survive in water]] for long periods of time.
{{anchor|day}}
<p style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold; margin: 10px 0 0 0;">Merrow may be overwhelmed by the day realm</p>
Some merrow become so obsessed with the pursuit of knowledge that they lose sight of anything else. Often the subject of the obsession is esoteric or irrelevant to the human experience. They quickly find themselves unconcerned with the interests and welfare of others. They are uncaring and unmoved by suffering and may perform horrific experiments to expand their knowledge or watch dreadful events out of interest as to how they will play out.

==Deep Silence==
The merrow [[Lineage#Boons|boon]] makes them feel at home in water. Coupled with their gills, this means they are able to exist underwater for much longer than an their unlineaged equivalent. Because of this many merrow live their lives on or in the water. Given the nature of many of their physical trappings, merrow also tend to be excellent swimmers. They can engage in feats that most other humans would find amazing, surviving for long periods of time underwater when exploring ruins or diving for sunken treasure, and there are many stories of those with merrow blood being the sole survivors of shipwrecks or floods.

Despite their advantages, merrow cannot live their lives underwater; there are no submerged towns populated entirely by merrow. Spending extended periods underwater is still reasonably hostile - vision is impaired, movement is difficult, it is hard to communicate, and very difficult to actually ''do'' anything. Likewise, even though they have gills they are still creatures of the surface world - even the highest lineage merrow must come up for air every few hours. Still, the fact that they find being submerged in water calming and restful means that many merrow like to make their homes near open water - or bring the water to them if they live in places where this is impossible. There are plenty of examples of [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]] merrow creating artificial swimming pools in the arid grasslands of [[the Brass Coast]], of [[the League|League]] citizens flooding basement rooms, or of groups of [[Highguard|Highborn]] merrow who meet regularly at the public baths to relax and meditate.

This trait has few practical applications during the game, but may help shape your character or your background. In very rare circumstances a quest or encounter may be easier for a merrow, or might rely on the ability to travel underwater for a long distance as part of the narrative.

==Merrow Life==
{{anchor|The Blood}}
===Merrow children===
Despite their appearance, merrow are as warm-blooded and mammalian as any human. They reproduce like any other human, they give birth to live offspring and all have at least some body hair.
The only sign of the lineage in new born children is usually faint gills on the side of the neck (these may be phys-repped using make-up). It is very rare for children to show any more traits of the merrow lineage than this initially. As they grow older, most merrow children who spend time in water find that their lineage continues to grow stronger, with their gills becoming pronounced and scales and webs appearing in some cases.
{{anchor|Lines}}

===Imperial Merrow===
Merrow find a special place in a few nations of the Empire.
* [[The Marches|Marchers]] tend to treat merrow with suspicion, finding them cold and too clever by half. As a result, most merrow born in the Marches gravitate to the fens of [[Bregasland]] where they can find acceptance as part of the community of fendwellers.
* The Reckoner guilds of the [[The League|League]] are dominated by those of merrow and [[naga]] blood.
* Merrow children from [[the Brass Coast]] are often sent to be raised in [[Urizen]], in the belief they will have a happier life.

===Becoming a merrow===
*'''The eternals Kimus and Sinokenon can both offer boons to allow a character to gain the merrow lineage'''

*'''The steading of Glimmerwater can provide access to a lantern with origins in the Day realm over downtime that will grant an unlineaged human the merrow lineage'''
Viziers of [[Kimus]] have in the past offered a small crystal known as a ''concentration of light''. They have been known to offer a crystal as payment for an intense debate on such topics as perception of the self, the nature of time, and what change comes about from experiencing significant events. Some unlineaged people who sleep grasping one of the crystals in their hand wake up the next day with the merrow lineage, the crystal having disappeared without a trace.

The servitors of [[Sinokenon]] are able to offer the use of the ''vial of the apex'' to mortals who have been able to explain their understanding of [[Loyalty]], and provide evidence of their commitment of progressing to perfection to a satisfiable extent. Pure water drunk directly from a ''vial of the apex'' will see most unlineaged adults develop the merrow lineage over the course of the next twelve hours.

<br><br>
<span style="font-size: 1.2em; font-weight: bold;">Downtime</span><br>
The Glimmerwater [[steading]] in [[Therunin#Eastring|Eastring]], [[Therunin]] rests in the centre of one of the region's many bayous. One of the long dead [[vate|vates]] of the steading received a boon from an [[eternal|eternals]] of the Day realm in the form of a marvellous living wooden lantern. The lamp allows an unlineaged adult who studies and meditates by its steady golden light for several days may begin to manifest merrow lineage, assuming they are able to cultivate a certain degree of calm focus. Once the lineage begins to manifest, one must remain in the light until it has finished doing so - a process that takes at least a week. Recently recovered from a waterlogged ruin, the merrow of Glimmerwater steading have installed it in a partially flooded Day [[regio]], and offer advice and support to those who seek ought the profound transformation it offers.

==Inspirations==
Inspiration for merrow might draw on any of the historical or religious philosophers like Aristotle or Confucius. Historical and literary scientific figures like Marie Curie, Ada Lovelace, and Dr Frankenstein are good as are masters of deduction and reasoning like Sherlock Holmes, William of Baskerville, Cadfael, or the mentats from Dune. While Star Trek's Vulcans are an obvious inspiration, brilliant technical musicians like Johann Sebastian Bach are also great merrow characters, as are calculating spymasters like Stella Rimmington, calm warriors like Li Mu Bai from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, or a legendary strategist like Pallas Athena.

H. P. Lovecraft's deep ones, or perhaps more properly the inhabitants of Innsmouth, are also something of an inspiration for merrow. Fans of Lovecraft and his successors can be mysterious or sinister deep ones and play up the alien and magical elements. People who don’t like Lovecraft can emphasize the calm, focused celestial bureaucracy elements and play up the ordered and cerebral parts of the merrow nature.

==Useful Links==

==Merrow Images==
<fourpicture>
{{CaptionedImage|file=Close-gills-3293.png|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow-BlueHair.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow-EarsMakeUp.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=League Merrow.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Thoughtful Merrow.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Octavius.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Merrow-HalfFaceMask.jpg|width=2000}}
{{CaptionedImage|file=Wounded Merrow.jpg|width=2000}}
</fourpicture>
{{Lineage Links}}
[[Category:Lineage]]

386YE Winter Solstice interlude

2024-10-01T17:51:17Z

Rosemary: /* Explore the Southern Reaches */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Winter]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Cheers Abound.jpg|align=left|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
Downtime following the Autumn Equinox is now open, allowing players to process their character's downtime choices. There are a number of significant events happening in the wake of the Autumn Equinox that may affect some players' Downtime choices. Not all resources allow a player to make a choice about how they operate between events, but we've provided information about new opportunities for [[fleet]] and [[military unit]] owners in particular as well as a reminder about existing opportunities created at earlier events.

On this page we'll be outlining, and offering some context for, various effects and events. As always, these include quick summaries, mostly out of character, to explain effects such as large-scale [[enchantment|enchantments]] and [[curse|curses]]. In some cases, there may be further developments around these vents in the Winter Solstice winds of fortune, or they may be handled with a ''Resolution'' entry on the appropriate Wind.

We've also created a new page - [[386YE Autumn Equinox Military Council orders]] - which we plan to make a permanent part of the [[Recent history]] roundup going forward. It starts with a mini-wind of war presenting a summary of the campaign as described in [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_war|this season's wnds of war]]. It also details all the [[Army orders|orders]] given by the [[general|generals]], in the same way we present the [[declaration|declarations]] of the [[Imperial Conclave]], the [[judgement|judgements]] of the [[Imperial Synod]], and the [[Senate motion|motions]] of the [[Imperial Senate]].

'''The deadline for Downtime submissions is Midnight on Sunday October 13th.'''

==Choices==
* '''During the Autumn Equinox, there were a number of Senate motions, Conclave declarations, Synod judgements, and Military council orders'''
Each summit the [[Imperial Senate]] raises and votes on [[Senate motion|motions]], the [[Imperial Conclave]] debates [[declaration|declarations]], the assemblies of the [[Imperial Synod]] discuss [[judgement|judgements]], and the [[general|generals]] of the [[Imperial Military Council]] issue [[Army orders|orders]] to their [[Imperial army|armies]]. You can find details of these many decisions here:
* [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions|Senate motions]]
* [[386YE Autumn Equinox Synod judgements|Synod judgements]]
* [[386YE Autumn Equinox Conclave sessions|Conclave declarations]]
* [[386YE Autumn Equinox Military Council orders|Military orders]]
The Civil Service is responsible for ensuring that these motions, judgements, declarations, and orders are public knowledge. Not everything is widely distributed across the Empire, but any character who attends [[Anvil]] can easily find out details of what went on in the houses of power during the event.
==Military Units==
* '''Players who control military units can choose from a number of downtime options'''
* '''Left to their own devices a military unit defaults to the ''paid work'' option'''
Any player whose character controls a [[military unit]] can choose from a number of downtime options by logging into the downtime system. They may choose to [[Military_unit#Support_Army|support an army]], [[Military_unit#Defend_Fortification|defend a fortification]], or assign to a special project such as a [[spy network]] or an [[Military_unit#Adventures|adventure]]. Left to their own devices, a military unit defaults to [[Military_unit#Take_Independent_Action|paid work]] guaranteeing an income of herbs, ingots or measures, money, or mana crystals.

Players who want to support one of the [[Imperial army|Imperial armies]] can also read the [[Army_orders|orders]] issued by each [[general]] before making their decision. These orders are a matter of public record within the Empire and also available on the '''[[386YE Autumn Equinox Military Council orders]]''' page. This new page makes it easier for players to read all the orders before making a decision; previously the only way to do this was to painstakingly click every army in turn. It's also possible for players without military units to see the orders, without waiting for the Winds of War (assuming the orders even related to an area that produced a full write-up).

As always, the guidelines around discussing military matters online can be found [[Online#You_may_not_post_Military_Updates|here]].

===In the Barrens===
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Archavion9408.jpg|caption='''Archavion Wolfborne''' (centre), General of the Gryphon's Pride|align=right|width=400}}</div>
* '''The general of the Gryphon's Pride has sent his army to the Barrens to kill the Rahvin and seize the Fangs'''
* '''There is an opportunity for characters with military units to try and save the Rahvin sept from destruction by supporting the ''Save the Rahvin'' adventure'''
During the Autumn Equinox, the General of the [[Gryphon's Pride]], '''Archavion Wolfborne''', instructed their army to go to [[the Barrens]], claim the Fangs mithril mine, and kill the Rahvin sept that occupy it. The Rahvin have been [[385YE_Winter_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Declare_Rahvin_Foreigners|declared foreigners]] by the Imperial Senate, so this is an illegal order. However, [[General#Command_of_an_army|as detailed]], a general can always choose to give their army an order that is illegal, and the NPC soldiers that make up the army will follow those instructions regardless of their personal opinions.

The Civil Service publicize the orders submitted by the generals following each summit. This is what allows the independent PC captains to decide where to deploy their military unit. As such, the fact the Gryphon's Pride is heading to the Barrens to kill the Rahvin and claim the mine is known to those citizens who visit Anvil.

Any player with a military unit might choose to support the Gryphon's Pride, just as they would any other Imperial army. If they do so however they will also face trial for murder, a crime that carries the death penalty. It is not possible to support the Gryphon's Pride without killing Rahvin warriors - foreigners - and the Imperial Roll of Honour will list anyone who supports the army.

The option for the Gryphon's Pride to attempt to claim the Fangs, was outlined in last year's '''[[Not_to_conquer#Military_Opportunities_:_Rahvin|Not to conquer]]''' wind of fortune. The situation has developed since then, so the outcome is in doubt, but they will succeed unless the army encounter significant military opposition. Regardless of the outcome, this action will send shockwaves through Imperial diplomacy, especially with relations to future chances of cooperating with the slaves of the Druj; murdering the Rahvin while they are foreigners - under the protection of Imperial law - may fundamentally undermine trust in the Senate among outsiders.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GryphonPride_Colour.png|align=right|width=400}}</div>
It is not possible for Imperial military units to prevent the attack or stop the Gryphon's Pride from claiming the mine, but we've presented an [[opportunity]] to allow Imperial military units to try to save the Rahvin sept from the advancing Imperial army. The adventure ''Save the Rahvin'' can be found under the independent action dropdown, and enchantments that help independent action will apply. Any Imperial citizen who takes the action will be fighting, injuring, and killing Dawnish soldiers to attempt to help the Rahvin escape - but the magistrates have indicated they won't seek to prosecute in this situation where citizens are acting to prevent a crime.

There is no reward for taking this action, but if military units with a combined strength of at least 2,000 are assigned to the action it will enable the Rahvin sept to flee. They will be forced to give up the Fangs, but the show of support will mean they do not make the final stand that would result in the destruction of the sept.

The results and repercussions of this attack by the Gryphon's Pride, and any attempt to save the Rahvin, will be covered in the winds of war and winds of fortune at the Winter Solstice.

As always when discussing contentious topics, bear our conduct rules in mind. It is fine to be outraged in-character, but not out-of-character, with other participants.

<big>'''OOC Design Note'''</big><br>
The general's orders are completely unprecedented in the game, so there are no existing rules to cover some elements of what has taken place. We've spent the week since the event attempting to consider every possible ramifications of this action.

One of the first issues to consider was what role the Barrens' fortifications would play in this attack. A [[fortification]] exists to protect an area and the occupants from an attack by enemies of the Empire - the rules as written simply don't say whether a fortification would act to stop an illegal action or not. We don't want to be in a position of deciding if a novel action like this succeeds or fails when issuing a new ruling on that, therefore the [[The_Barrens#Houndsgate|Houndsgate]] fortification won't act to oppose ''this'' attack. However at the Winter Solstice, the [[Civil Service]] will present an administrative motion to the Senate to decide if they want Imperial fortifications to automatically protect Imperial citizens and foreigners from any attacks by Imperial armies in future.

For the same reason, we've ruled that [[Forge_the_Wooden_Fastness|the enchanted fortification]], that was summoned in the [[the Barrens#Untrod Groves|Untrod Groves]] this summit won't act to stop ''this'' attack. However, in future, any fortification that is summoned from the realm of an [[eternal]] (which is all magical fortifications) will choose whether to oppose an attack on Imperial territory by an Imperial general based on the whims of the eternal who gifts it. We'll update the rituals on the wiki to note that.

We appreciate that a lot of characters might want to try and stop this action, so we've explored all the possible avenues by which that might be possible and ruled them out. It is not possible to alter the military outcome in this situation, now that the die is cast. The Gryphon's Pride will have to overcome the Rahvin's defences and their actions may be affected in other armies are revealed to have enter the Barrens, but the attack can't be stopped by military units or other means.

However we have created an option this downtime for military units to go to the aid of the Rahvin - to try to help them escape from the oncoming army. If enough military units are sent to rescue the beleaguered orcs then this will alter the narrative outcome and change their fate. Currently the Gryphon's Pride is attempting to wipe out the Rahvin, but again there are no rules to determine whether such an action succeeds or not. The rules determine which armies win and lose when armies clash, they don't say what happens to those caught up in the fighting in an area. Rather than PD decide what happens in this circumstance, we've created an opportunity to let player actions decide that outcome.

This approach is in line with the principles we've employed recently when the [[Cold Sun]] attacked and we created an opportunity for military units to help protect the civilian people of the Empire. Without a fortification or an army to support, military units cannot change the strategic outcome of a campaign, but they can influence the narrative events that surrounds that campaign. Generals orders are very much a fait accompli at the point where they are submitted, but Empire is designed to be a game that supports PCs taking actions to thwart each other. In situations, like this, where the actions are incredibly important, we want to ensure that as many PCs are possible are able to respond. For that reason, we would be likely to offer a similar option in the future - military units are not likely to be able to change the strategic outcome, but we will give them a chance to influence narrative outcomes that aren't constrained by the Empire [[war]] rules.

===Other Adventures===
* '''Military units can be assigned to support ''adventures'', created as the result of opportunities, that offer unique rewards'''
* '''Not every military unit is eligible to participate in every adventure'''
* '''Some adventures are ongoing, while others exist only for a limited amount of time'''
* '''Adventures are found under the appropriate action that best matches what the military unit is doing'''
In addition to the normal actions a military unit can take, there are also ''adventures''. These are downtime actions that have arisen through player action, often as the result of a wind of fortune. Most are accessible through the independent action dropdown, and count as such for purposes of rituals. Instead of providing random rewards, they provide specific benefits. Each adventure lists the rewards a standard military unit will receive, and an upgraded or enchanted military unit will gain proportionately more.

Some adventures are permanent; they are listed under ''[[Military_unit#Adventures|adventures]]'' on the military unit page. Others are temporary; they are listed on the interlude page for as long as they are available.
====Explore the Southern Reaches====
* '''Imperial military units can take part in an exploration of the transformed southern Madruga'''
* '''The adventure is also available at the Winter Solstice 386YE'''
* '''If sufficient force is assigned, it will produce a new map of Madruga'''
As described in the '''[[Where the river rises]]''' wind of fortune, the flooding of the Scorrero has created a vast new marsh in [[Madruga]], large swathes of the southern regions of that territory have been reshaped. Following the Autumn Equinox, a new adventure is available to Imperial military units. ''Explore the Southern Reaches'' is found in the [[spy network]] dropdown, and [[enchantment|enchantments]] that support spy networks will help warbands who choose to take it. A standard military unit that takes this adventure will receive 6 random herbs and 2 pawns of ''Adversity Vis'' (representing a random combination of [[Vis#Vital Honey|vital honey]], [[Vis#Crystal Fire|crystal fire]], and even [[Vis#Heart's Blood|heart's blood]]) instead of their usual production. Upgraded or enchanted military units will gain more rewards, including a variety of peculiar flowers and plants found in the transformed marshes. The adventure will be available until the end of the year (until the start of the Spring Equinox 387YE).

If at least 5,000 strength is assigned to the adventure in the same season, then the Empire will be able to update it's maps of Madruga. They will know the new layout of [[territory#Regions|regions]], and be able to use scrying rituals that need intact maps again.

==Fleets==
* '''Players who control fleets can choose from a number of downtime options'''
* '''Left to their own devices a fleet defaults to the ''independent action'' option'''
Any player whose character controls a [[fleet]] can choose from a number of downtime options by logging into the downtime system. They may choose to [[Fleet#Trade|trade]] with a foreign port, engage in [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|independent action]], or assign to a special project such as a [[smugglers cove]] or an [[Fleet#Adventures|adventure]]. Left to their own devices, a fleet defaults to [[Fleet#Take_Independent_Action|privateering]] guaranteeing an income of herbs, ingots or measures, money, or mana crystals. The Empire does not currently have any [[Imperial navy|navies]] so it is not possible to support a naval campaign, but if it was details would be included on the Military orders page.
===Trade===
* '''A fleet can select a foreign port to trade with, and each port provides different benefits'''
* '''The production of a port is heavily influenced by the deiplomatic relationship between the foreign nation and the Empire'''
A fleet may trade at any [[Foreign ports|foreign port]] that is open to Imperial shipping. Each port provides different commodities for the fleet owner, and is increased by [[fleet#upgrade|upgrades]] and [[enchantment|enchantments]]. Production can also vary from season to season based on the diplomatic relationship between the foreign country and the Empire. Several ports are currently unavailabe - for example both the [[Asavean Archipelago]] and [[Principalities of Jarm]] have closed their ports to Imperial traders.

The table of the '''[[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_winds_of_fortune#Trade_Summary|Winds of Fortune]]''' page summarizes the current effects created by diplomacy.

====Suranni Trade====
* '''Fleets that trade with Robec in the Iron Confederacy receive fewer luxuries, but instead gain two doses of Kobol's Vigour'''
* '''Following the Autumn Equinox the Iron Confederacy relaxed sanctions against Imperial traders visiting Robec'''
Following diplomatic developments, as detailed in the '''[[A_victory_for_diplomacy#Suranni Trade|A victory for diplomacy]]''' wind of fortune, the Duke of [[Bay_of_Catazar#Veroigne|Veroigne]] has removed a prohibition against trading ''Kobol's Vigous'' to Imperial merchants visiting the port of [[Iron_Confederacy_ports#Robec|Robec]]. As such any fleet that trades with that port will receive 30 fewer rings in luxuries, instead receiving 2 doses of the unique consumable. This metallic elixir apparently bolsters the imbibers battlefield prowess, and provides a measure of protection from the insidious effects of Dumon's servants. From the description, the Civil Service believe it is a [[Potion#Tonics|tonic]] that can help remove the effects of [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakness]], in a way that sounds a little like the effect an [[Abraxus Stone]] has on [[Calls#VENOM|venom]]. Exactly what it does, however, is not clear - unsurprising given it has been illegal for Suranni merchants to trade it to Imperial traders since Robec opened.

The civil service believe the Suranni will be evaluating how many Imperial fleets visit Robec in the coming seasons and that will determine whether the port continues to offer the peculiar Suranni preparation. There is also speculation as to what ''other'' unique preparations the Suranni might be able to brew - given they eschew magic in all its forms, and even with the supposed miracles of their priests, it is likely they have fallen back on drugs and potions to make up for the lack of ritual enchantments and incantations.

News from [[Anvil]] also notes that the Iron Dukes have chosen to remove their sanctions against Imperial merchants visiting Robec, presumably in recognition of the thaw in relations between the two nations. There are still some delays when trading in Vergoigne, and merchants are still subject to additional suspicious scrutiny, but the Iron Confederacy now accords Imperial merchants the [[Tariffs#Mercantilist|mercantilist]] status.
====Demand for Imperial Goods====
* '''Every fleet in the Empire benefits from a one rank bonus when trading with ports in the Commonwealth, the Sarcophan Delves, and the Sumaah Republic
The Asavean Plenum has funded privateers to target Imperial fleets and those who trade with the Empire. Perversely this means that there is a spike in demand for Imperial goods. More information can be found in the '''[[Drumbeat_of_war#Hoist_Sails|Drumbeat of war]]'''.

===Fleet Adventures===
* '''Fleets can be assigned to support ''adventures'', created as the result of opportunities, that offer unique rewards'''
* '''Not every fleet is eligible to participate in every adventure'''
* '''Some fleets are ongoing, while others exist only for a limited amount of time'''
* '''Adventures are found under the appropriate action that best matches what the fleet is doing'''
Just as with military units, fleets can take part in ''adventures''. These are downtime actions that have arisen through player action, often as the result of a wind of fortune. Most are accessible through the independent action dropdown, and count as such for purposes of rituals. Instead of providing random rewards, they provide specific benefits, however. Each adventure lists the rewards a standard fleet will receive, and an upgraded or enchanted fleet will gain proportionately more.

Some adventures are permanent; they are listed under ''[[Fleet#Adventures|adventures]]'' on the military unit page. Others are temporary; they are listed on the interlude page for as long as they are available.
====Great Race of Rhianos====
* '''Participants continuing in the Great Race of Rhianos must choose one of three destinations
* '''Now that the race has begun, it is not possible for other participants to join
The "Great Race" sponsored by the [[eternal]] [[Rhianos]] started [[Famine_and_feast#Rhianos|in Summer]] and continued [[Roaring plenty|in autumn]]. for the second leg of the race, participants were challenged to pick one of three "directions" to proceed - to choose whether to pursue [[Roaring_plenty#Widdershins_By_Riches|riches]], [[Roaring_plenty#Deosil_To_Mystery|mystery]], or [[Roaring_plenty#Straight_On_For_Glory|gory]]. Every character who started the race last season will find three unique options for adventure in the trade dropdown menu - ''Widdershins by Riches'', ''Deosil to Mystery'', and ''Straight on to Glory''. Only the ''Riches'' option offers significant wealth; each character who chooses this option will also receive a ribbon for a particular treasure they have picked up along the way. The other two options provide different benefits; mysteries or a prize relevant to the choice made. All three are described in the '''[[Roaring plenty]]''' wind of fortune.

==Miscellaneous Effects==
* '''After every event there will be a range of special effects that have an impact on downtime'''
* '''Each effect is automatically applied to the appropriate personal resources; this provides details of what has caused each effect'''
Every season sees large-scale effects impact individuals and nations. Some arise as the result of [[Judgement|Synod judgements]], [[Senate motion|Senate motions]] or [[Declaration|Conclave declarations]]. Others are the results of winds of fortune or war, or magical effects such as [[enchantment|enchantments]] or [[curse|curses]]. Each such effect is mentioned in your downtime if it affects your personal resource, along with a brief summary of what is going on. This list provides more detail, and is also useful for knowing what is going on in the wider Empire.
===Farmers Abroad===
* '''Congregations in the Brass Coast, and in the Marcher territories of Mitwold and Upwold, receive one fewer liao and two fewer votes at the Winter Solstice'''
Inspired by their national assemblies, virtuous farmers from both [[the Brass Coast]] and [[the Marches]] are making a long trek around the [[Bay of Catazar]] to [[Mareave]]. [[Mandate|Mandates]] enacted by Annalaya del-Toro and by Grey Stone have urged them to find ways to help the [[Imperial Orcs]] deal with the problems presented by the arid conditions in their new territory. These farmers are followers of the Way who are part of [[congregation|congregations]] in the two nations, and their absence means that the affected characters will receive one fewer [[liao]] and two fewer votes in the Synod at the Winter Solstice as they make their assessment. See the '''[[We_all_stand#Farming_and_Water|We all stand]]''' wind of fortune for more details.

===Rats and Bishops===
* '''Temeschwari priests who preach Vigilance or Loyalty after the Autumn Equinox receive one fewer liao, but two additional Synod votes at the Winter Solstice'''
While the rat-plague in [[Temeschwar]] is broadly under control (as detailed in the '''[[Graveyard rats]]''' wind of fortune among other places), the poorest parts of the city are still struggling. Inspired by the [[words of]] Emil Radana von Temeschwar, the bishops and priests of the northern [[the League|League]] city have opened the doors of their shrines, temples, and churches to those in need of sanctuary. Following the Autumn Equinox, any priest in Temeschwar who [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaches]] [[Vigilance]] or [[Loyalty]] will find their [[congregation]] swollen by dozens of additional congregants eager to both hear words of vigilance and mutual support, and take advantage of the open doors. They will gain two additional votes, but lose one dose of liao – the lost liao is used to create [[consecration|consecrations]] and provide [[Anointing|anointings]] and [[hallow|hallows]] to people seeking spiritual succour [[Graveyard_rats#Bishops_of_the_League|in the face of the rat problem]].

===Unblinking Eyes===
* '''Priests with congregations who preach Vigilance receive an additional dose of liao and 2 additional Synod votes until the start of the Winter Solstice 386YE
Following the Winter Solstice last year, '''Irada van Temeschwar''' used [[liao#true liao|true liao]] to [[Consecration#True Consecration|consecrate]] the [[Knocking_on_every_door#The_Basilica_in_Bastion|damaged basilica]] of [[Berechiah]] in [[Bastion]] as an [[inspirational location]]. The basilica is still dangerous to visit, but the wider impact of the consecration is still being felt; the [[True faith|recent crisis]] sparked by the dissemination of ''[[Life of Vardas]]'' has diminished it slightly but it is still palpable. As a result, any priest who [[Congregation#Downtime_Options|preaches]] [[Vigilance]] following the Autumn Equinox wil receive an additional dose of liao and two additional Synod votes. The effects of the consecration are discussed in the WInter 385YE '''[[Knocking on every door]]''' wind of fortune.

===Dho'uala's Tithe===
* '''The Custodian of the Ivarsgard Docks and the Harbourmaster of the Semmerlak have had some of the prices for their ministries increased
* '''Fleets crossing the Semmerlak from Varushka, Dawn, and Holberg no longer experience a penalty to production
The [[Varushkan_Monster#Sovereigns|sovereign]] [[Dho'uala]] still stirs in the depths of [[the Semmerlak]], but with the construction of [[Less_welcome_tenants#Wards_and_Bargains|journeymage towers]] in [[Semmerholm#Lacuve|Lacre]], [[Karov#Malimorzi|Korotny]], and [[Ossium#Kostjyas_Respite|Kostjyas Respite]], her impact on ships trading across the Semmerlak has been greatly diminished. As such the penalty experienced by fleets crossing the lake has been removed. While the price for [[Cerulean Mazzarine|cerulean mazzarine]] from the Sarcophan captains dealing with the [[Custodian of Ivarsgard Docks]] is still increased by a fifth, it is expected to fall back to it's pre-Dho'uala levels by the Winter Solstice once news of the changes in the north reach the merchants of the Delves.

The ''watchers of the Semmerlak'' cannot, however, do anything about the problems experienced by Imperial titles related to [[Underwater_sunshine#Dho.27uala.27s_Tithe_-_Ports|ports on the Semmerlak]]. It's still illegal to [[385YE_Summer_Solstice_Senate_sessions#Create_law_criminalising_Semmerlak_items|take things out of the Semmerlak]], including [[ilium]] and fish, are still in place. The [[Harbourmaster of the Semmerlak]] continues to be unable to purchase [[ilium]] but they are still able to purchase wains of weirwood, albeit at increased prices. These complications, and how they might be mitigated, are laid out in the [[Less_welcome_tenants#Star_Metal_and_Fishes|Less welcome tenants]] wind of fortune.

===Cull Back the Weak===
* '''A boon of the eternal Sorin offers two additional drams of each herb to herb gardens in Hahnmark
* '''Herbal sinecures in Hahnmark also receive additional bladeroot
Following the Autumn Equinox, several heralds of the ''[[Sorin|Tomb King]]'' appear in [[Hahnmark]]. They are apparently there to deliver a boon, invoked during the summit, a gift offered over forty years ago to a [[Wintermark]] coven. They visit herb gardens across the territory, laying their master's fell power over every [[herb garden]] they can find. The magic ruthlessly culls any weak or less-then-useful plants and allowing those that remain to grow stronger. Every herb garden in Hahnmark receives two extra drams of each of the five [[herbs]], and the [[Guardian of Dunfrith]], [[Gatekeeper of Falling Snow]], [[Herbalist of the Hearth]], and [[Master Apothecary]] each receive six drams of [[bladeroot]] in addition to the normal production of their [[sinecure]].

Everyone in the territory, whether they are herbalists or not, experiences a roleplaying effect as a result of the eternal's interst: ''You find it easy to become jealously protective and possessive towards your family and friends, and it is all-too-easy to see strangers as potential rivals and competitors who must be excluded or driven off.'' Anyone running or attending a [[sanctioned events|sanctioned event]] in Hahnmark, or who is normally a resident of Hahnmark, should bear this effect in mind.

What price the ''[[Sorin|Master of Wolves]]'' might exact for the invocation of this boon is not clear; it might in theory be nothing at all. Or it might not.

===Cold Winters===
* '''Every personal resource in Sermersuaq will produce an extra 22 rings until the start of the Winter Solstice 386YE
Across the territory of Sermersuaq, the people have come together in defiance of the harsh winter and the machinations of Agramant. As the first signs of Spring emerge from the ice, people are more enthused than ever to work together and ensure that everyone in Sermersuaq is helped and defended. What has kept the wolf from the door during the harsh seasons of winter, is now more than enough to provide for all, and heralds a bounty to come.

===Foam and Fertility===
* '''Fleets based in Redoubt experience a 2 rank penalty to production over the coming season
During the Autumn Equinox the [[Spring magic|Spring ritual]] [[curse]] [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] was laid on the [[Urizen]] [[territory]] of [[Redoubt]]. Terrible Autumn storms give way to violent Winter tempests, pounding the coast with treacherous waves, gale-force winds, and torrential rain. At the same time destructive energies drawn from the Spring realm itself are unleashed to attack ships moving through the area. The ritual has several effects, some of them entirely unpredictable (especially given the growing influence of the [[eternal]] [[Siakha]] over the [[Bay of Catazar]]), but one effect is that any [[fleet]] based in the territory has its [[fleet#production|production]] reduced by two ranks for the coming season.

In addition, Redoubt has also been affected by [[Rivers of Life]] - a Spring curse that preserves life across the territory. The ritual has no immediate effect on individual characters, but it's not clear what effect raising potent storms and then infusing them with additional Spring magic may have, especially given the two rituals have oppositional resonances ([[Spring magic#Ruin|Ruin]] and [[Spring magic#Savagery|Savagery]] on one hand, [[Spring_magic#Healing_and_Vitality|Healing and Vitality]] on the other).

The full impacts and side-effects of the two curses will be discussed in the Winter Solstice Winds.

===Golden Magician's Fayre===
* '''The entire nation of Dawn has been enchanted with potent Summer magic'''
The entire nation of [[Dawn]] has been [[enchantment|enchanted]] with powerful [[Summer magic]]. Following the Autumn Equinox, the realm of the Summer realm may will find it easier to enter the mortal realm in Dawn. The ritual does not compel the eternals to respond, but they will immediately become aware of the effect and likely respond. Only the heralds of the eternal [[Meraud]] are conspicuously absent.

Furthermore, everyone present in Dawn during the season experiences a roleplaying effect: ''you find magic fascinating and appealing, and when performing magic you feel an urge to enhance the showmanship and performative aspects of your arts''.

Players creating or attending [[sanctioned events]] set in Dawn should bear this effect in mind, especially when it comes to designing a [[Sanctioned_events#Plot_Events|plot event]]. Further details will be presented in the Winds of Fortune for the Winter Solstice.

===Regrowing the Lands Heart===
* '''Upwold and Feroz have been enchanted with the Regrow the Lands Heart ritual
Both [[Upwold]] and [[Feroz]] have been targeted by the [[Spring magic]] [[enchantment]] [[Regrow the Land's Heart]]. Following the Autumn Equinox, soft rain falls on these territories and new life flourishes. The magic particularly focuses on areas scarred by war or natural disaster, causing new plants to grow wildly. It primarily affects the landscape, but people living in the territory find it easier to let go of pain caused by war or calamity. As new plants grow, old scars fade. While the enchantment is in place, animals and people find it easier to conceive, and plants grow more healthily. Children born or conceived in the territory under the enchantment are more likely to express the [[briar]] [[lineage]]. Players running or attending [[sanctioned events]] in either of these territories should bear these effects in mind.

If the ritual has any additional effects in one or both of these territories, they will be discussed in the Winter Winds of Fortune.

===A Grand Penumbral Veil===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=The Tower of Shadow and Light.png|Caption=An artist's impression of the Tower of Shadow and Light; the [[Penumbral Watcher]] has powers related to shrouding territories but also it's a nice picture that should get wider viewing.|align=left|width=500}}</div>
* '''The Penumbral Veil has been drawn over almost the entirety of the Empire'''
* '''Only those territories currently in the hands of barbarians, and the territory of Casinea, have been exempt'''
And finally... the ritual [[Drawing the Penumbral Veil]] creates a potent shroud of [[Night magic]] that conceals people, places, and events in a territory from the prying eyes of scryers and seers. During the Autumn Equinox, the veil was laid across a significant portion of the Empire.

The penumbral veil has been drawn over almost the entire Empire. All five [[the League|League]] cities ([[Sarvos]], [[Tassato]], [[Temeschwar]], [[Holberg]], and [[Spiral]]). The entirety of [[Urizen]] ([[Redoubt]], [[Zenith]], [[Morrow]]). The whole [[the Brass Coast|Brass Coast]] ([[Kahraman]], [[Segura]], and the [[386YE_Autumn_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Assign_Feroz|reclaimed]] [[Feroz]]). All of [[Dawn]] ([[Astolat]], [[Weirwater]], [[Semmerholm]], and [[the Barrens]]). Most of [[Highguard]] except [[Casinea]] ([[Bastion]], [[Necropolis]], [[Reikos]]). Both Imperial Orcs territories ([[Mareave]] and [[Skarsind]]). The Marches where the [[Jotun]] are not in control ([[Bregasland]], [[Mitwold]], [[Upwold]]). Both the [[Navarr]] territories still in control of the nation ([[Miaren]] and [[Hercynia]]). Varushka ([[Karov]], [[Karsk]], [[Miekarova]], [[Ossium]], [[Volodmartz]]). The whole of [[Wintermark]] ([[Kallavesa]], [[Hahnmark]], and [[Sermersuaq]]). Indeed, the only Imperial territory that could be shrouded with the [[regio#Imperial Regio|Imperial regio]] that has not been effected is [[Casinea]] itself. Given the specificity of the effect, it seems likely this represents dozens of castings of the ritual rather than a specially designed [[Arcane projection]] (which would be unlikely to effect every territory except Casinea). It's also notable that the shroud over Sarvos is more than three times as powerful as that raised in the other territories.

The shrouds do not appear to be particularly difficult to pierce, but the effect is noticable in every territory once the sun sets and the skies over the Empire appear strange and unfamiliar. The effects are relatively low-key, as the shrouds have not been performed at particularly high magnitude, but occasionally they can be dramatic and exciting. Effects include stars not being where they are expected to be; the moon seeming closer, further away, strangely coloured, absent, or in the wrong phase; odd prismatic lights glittering in or moving across the celestial vault. Very occasionally even stranger effects might be seen such as vast coloured banks of sparkling light, strange translucent birds and fish of immense size that swoop or skim lazily through the clouds, and similar phantasmagoric images of all kinds.

Obviously it is beyond the special-effects budget of most [[Sanctioned events]] to effect the appearance of the night sky, but anyone attending such events should bear the effects in mind. Most of the time being aware that the moon is in the wrong phase, or some of the stars are in odd places, will be sufficient to bring this effect to life. The ritual may sometimes cause consternation in people living in effected territories; any details in this regard will be included in the winds of fortune.

==Magical Lore==
* '''Every summit it is possible that new rituals, magic items, or potions may become available to Imperial citizens'''
* '''Some of these options are only available to characters from certain nations, such as those entered into Urizen Lore or Runesmith's Law'''
During the Autumn Equinox, one ritual was put forward for inclusion in Imperial Lore:
* [[Stars Mantle]] raised and funded by '''Eliza'''
No new rituals became part of [[Urizen_magical_traditions#Urizen_Lore|Urizen lore]], and no new magic items were added to [[Wintermark_economic_interests#Runesmith.27s_Law|Runesmiths Law]].
==Further Reading==
* [[Downtime]]
* [[Resource#Personal_Resource|Personal resource]]
* [[Recent_history#Autumn_Equinox|Autumn Equinox recent history]]

Hey now how you doing?

2024-09-20T12:02:34Z

Rosemary: /* Grumpy Globbersnotch (Sadogua) */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]][[Category:Winds of Magic]]
<div style="float:left; width: 400px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Toad Hole.png|align=left|caption=Much like foreign nations, relations between the Empire and the eternals are volatile and unpredictable .|width=400}}</div>
{{PDFLink|align=right|link=File:Hey now how you doing.pdf|caption=Click for pdf version}}
==Eternal Magic==
There are creatures beyond the mortal world, the inhabitants of the six realms of magic, closer than they seem, further away than can be imagined. They dabble and deal, bargain and bond, offer and take, and it's hard to predict exactly where their gifts will lead. The Empire can reach out to them through the powers of the [[Archmage]] and the [[Imperial Conclave]], but they also reach back - the one could not exist without the other - and sometimes their touch is gentle and sometimes it is harsh.

Magical events originating closer to home are detailed in the companion piece, [[As it is when it was]].
==Thousand Eyes of the Sun and Moon (Kimus)==
* '''''She Who Watches'' has located the missing artefactual Paupers Key of Emperor Frederick'''
* '''A short report containing its current location will be delivered to Ignacio I Zuhri I Erigo at the Friday night Conclave session'''
* '''After the Autumn Equinox, the contents of the report will be shared with Imperial magicians'''
Last season the [[Kimus|Thousand Eyes of the Sun and Moon]] responded to a request from the [[Archmage of Day]] by agreeing to track down one of the two items they were interested in, either the grave of [[Gilda Ashwine]], or the [[Pauper's Key]] of [[Emperor Frederick]]. '''Ignacio i Zuhri i Erigo''' - [[Mistress of the Glass Parador]] - accepted the offer on behalf of the [[Celestial Arch]] and asked that the eternal [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Concord:_Kimus_and_the_Pauper's_Key|locate the Pauper's Key]]. The ''Glass of the Heavens '' has turned her gaze, and sent her emissaries, to locate the missing talisman and by all accounts has located it. It is much harder to get to than the [[Pride_of_the_Marches#The_Blade_of_Tom_Drake|Blade of Tom Drake]], however. One of her sages has prepared a short written report for Ignacio which will be delivered to them at the Friday night Conclave session.

Given Kimus' intention was that the information would be shared with the Conclave as a whole, they have prepared additional copies that will be distributed after the Autumn Equinox to scholars and sages across the Empire ('''OOC Note:''' the report will be added to the wiki after the event).

==Grumpy Globbersnotch (Sadogua)==
* '''Sadogua remains grumpy, and will not do more than the bare minimum in response to Dripping Echoes of the Fen'''
* '''He has two other boons to offer to Imperial magicians'''
The ''[[Sadogua|Globbernotch]]'' has spent the last year or so in a terrible mood following the alleged theft of part of his domain by the ''Circle of Zulgan Tash''. His servants have indicated that while he continues to honour the agreement that underpins [[Dripping Echoes of the Fen]], he will not bring any additional power to bear in supporting it. As he [[Skeleton_key#Empty_Echoes_(Sadogua)|said previously]], the ritual will still work - it simply won't protect anything beyond the region where it is cast. The defences and wards it summons are after all ''his'' and he is free to choose which ones to provide to Imperial magicians. ('''OOC Note:''' The ritual can be cast normally, but it provides protection only the targetted region. If the region is attacked however, its effective strength is increased and it causes casualties as normal)

With that out of the way, though, the ''Brother of Wizards'' also has two particular boons to offer to his ''friends'' in the Empire.
<br><br>'''<big>The Hidden Lyceum</big>'''<br>
* '''Sadogua offers to extend the wards currently protecting the Lyceum'''
* '''If the Conclave accepts he will work with the orders to find ways to more permanently protect the island and its college of magic'''
The first regards [[Madruga#The_Lyceum_(Hidden)|the Lyceum]]. The island where the Empire's first [[college of magic]] lies is currently hidden away behind [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Objective:_Raise_the_Lyceum's_wards|potent wards]] that protect it from all outside. The drawback is that it also prevent ''anyone'' getting to or from the island. A few messages have emerged via [[Beneath_mithril_spires#Shrouded_Schloss|particularly circuitous routes]] and it seems that the heralds of the ''Black Sloth'' are able to reach the island thanks in part to the [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#The Quiet Annexe|Quiet Annexe]] but mostly thanks to the Conclave having granted him [[Ritual_theory#The_Law_of_Dominion|Dominion]] over it. As such, it is still possible for the [[Dean of the Lyceum]] to [[Dean_of_the_Lyceum#Guiding_the_magicians_of_the_Lyceum|guide the magicians]] there in codifying rituals as the eternal is more than happy to transport arcane projections, messages, and ritual texts back and forth. Indeed, the heralds of the ''Wyrm King'' are making sure that the money spent by the Senate to pay for supplies and magical resources as part of the upkeep of the college are getting through to the magicians who need them.

However, the ''Father of Bats'' notes that the wards of mist raised about the island are due to fall some time between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice. When they come down, it will be extremely difficult to raise them again. Given that the Empire is still suffering attacks from the [[Grendel]] and the rampages of the [[Children of Wrecks]] - and given both are present in [[Madruga]] where the Lyceum isle is found, and that the adjacent islands of [[Feroz#Cazar_Straits|Cazar Straits]] are in the hands of the ''Children'', Sadogua makes an offer to the Conclave. He is prepared to provide a burst of power to the wards to keep them up for another year. He's absolutely confident that will keep the magicians and the libraries there safe - he'll weave a little extra "oomf" into them as he puts it. All it will take to receive this boon is a request made as part of a [[Declaration]] of [[Alignment]] (from the [[Archmage of Night]], one of the [[Conclave order|Conclave orders]], or the [[Arbiter_of_the_Rogue_Declaration#Rogue_Declaration|rogue declaration]] he's not fussy) and he'll make sure the college is safe until Winter 387YE. In addition, he'll look at opportunities to work with the [[Unfettered Mind]] and perhaps the [[Rod and Shield]] or [[Shuttered Lantern]] to come up with ways to ''permanently'' protect the island without leaving it cut off forever from the rest of the world.

When the plight of the magicians there is mentioned, the heralds seem surprised. They're perfectly safe and healthy, and finally have time to get on with studying magic without a load of distractions. How could they be happier? Once someone manages to get them to understand that they might not ''want'' to be stuck on the island, and they convince their master, the eternal also promises to look at a way to get the ''right'' people and supplies in and out.

If the Conclave don't want to accept his boon, he'll understand but he is apparently genuinely worried about what will happen the next time the Grendel [[A_beacon_of_smoke#Intercede_at_the_Lyceum_(Battle)|try to raid it]], or what the Children of Wrecks might do to the libraries and magicians once its shores are reachable again.
<br><br>'''<big>The Folly of Terunael</big>'''<br>
* '''Sadogua offers to make magical items for the use of Navarr wizards'''
A few years back, the ''Black Wyrm'' made a promise to the [[Navarr]]. If they wished his aid, he would provide them at least as much support as he gave to their ancestors when they accidentally destroyed their entire Empire. He knows the Navarr are gearing up for war with the [[vallorn]], and anticipates that when they are ready they will prevail on the [[Archmage of Night]] to arrange a [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]] to discuss the matter. For now though he offers a smaller boons to the Navarr to help them prepare for the epic task ahead of them.

As he did with the [[Urizen]] [[The_Net_of_the_Realms#A_Bat_out_of_Hell|a few years back]], he proposes to provide the magicians and covens of Navarr with magical items that can help empower their magic: staffs, rings, covenstones, and trinkets of that nature. Many Imperial citizens have taken advantage of similar arrangements in the past. To take advantage of this offer, a coven or magician must gather those things valuable to [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]]; [[Materials#Natural_Materials|natural materials]], [[Materials#Metals|metals]] and perhaps even [[ilium]]. The items are then sent to Sadogua by casting ''[[operate portal]]'' at the [[Regio#The_Imperial_Regio|Imperial regio]] and clearly indicating that these are intended for the eternal. One of the Toad King's invisible heralds will collect the materials, count them, and deliver them to the Globberslotch.

If they've got a particular kind of magic they need help with, they'll need to use [[Missive for Sadogua]] to let the ''Toad King'' know and he'll see what he can do (if they can't cast it themselves, someone else can do it on their behalf, but they better be sure to include their own name or it will get confusing). Once Sadogua has their message and their resources, he will [[Night magic#Transformation|transform]] them into useful [[magic items]] and send them back in time for the Winter Solstice. The things he makes will be fashioned from the items provided, so each coven should get assistance in proportion to what they provide. The Globberslotch suggests that it might be fun to see how powerful an item a coven might obtain if they can pile up enough materials, but he stresses that he will help any magician or coven no matter how wealthy they are provided they can give him at least ten ingots or measures of material.

'''OOC Note:''' Ideally, you should include your CID and the name of your coven on a piece of paper in the bag of resources when you perform the ritual, so that the eternal can more easily provide you with your magic item ribbons at the next event. You'll need to hand the container and materials to the referee, making it clear they're for Sadogua.

==Don't Believe the Hype (Ephisis)==
* '''Heralds of Ephisis have struggled to make contact with Flavio i Flav i Riqueza through their usual channels.'''
* '''They have therefore publicly announced their invitation to escort him to his vault, as agreed at the Summer Solstice.'''
* '''A herald of Ephisis will meet Flavio and up to three associates at the Hall of Worlds at 2200 on the Friday of the Autumn Equinox.'''
It is a few weeks after the summer solstice that the posters begin to appear. Golden ink on a rich parchment depicting a freeborn man with waist-length white hair blowing in the wind, a medallion the size of a dinner plate resting against his bare chest. The exact message below the portrait varies: "The Lady of the Counting House seeks '''Flavio i Flav i Riqueza''' regarding business discussed at the Summer Solstice", "Famed corsair Flavio i Flav i Riqueza sought for a discussion about an ongoing arrangement with the Sovereign Lady of the City of Gold and Lead", "Have you seen this man? His vault awaits!"

At first, they are an amusing oddity - trinkets that ritualists find hanging on the breeze around autumn regio and trade amongst themselves to see if they can collect a full set of all the variations. A week or so before the Autumn Equinox, however, the very earth below a few strong autumn regio rips open and hundreds of posters emerge, their writing becoming shakier and messages becoming markedly more difficult to follow.

One singular letter emerges from the Anvil regio. In the same golden ink, apparently sent from ''Keel, weigher of worth, respected herald of the Hidden Prince''. Keel enquires if any of their flyers have reached the Empire? They are yet to hear back and are becoming concerned. As agreed at the Summer Solstice, Keel wishes to accompany Flavio i Flav i Riqueza to the vault he has on contract from the eternal [[Ephisis]]. The vault has been moved into a ready position in an autumn chamber and Keel is eager to learn what it is that lies inside. They will await Flavio and his associates in the Hall of Worlds shortly before 2200 on the Friday of the Autumn Equinox to provide escort to the vault. Hopefully the Civil Service can ensure this message reaches him in time.

==Mutinous Chattering (Lashonar)==
* ''' The Imperial Conclave voted to remove Amity from the Eternal Lashonar at the Summer Solstice
* ''' In response The Loquacious One has had to make changes to some things in its dealings with the Empire including: the current competition regarding letters of longing, the Caucus Forum, and the ritual Summoning the Loquacious Birds
Shortly after the Autumn equinox, people across Dawn and Varushka experience a peculiar dream, a visionary dream that invades their sleeping hours and stirs powerful emotions. Dawnish and Varushkan citizens from all walks of life experience the vision, but its notable that a significant number of them are people who have spoken openly in support of the killing of the Montanians, the terrorizing of the Black Wind, or have called for the suppression of the Rahvin. Many such inviduals awaken in a cold sweat.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''<big>Lashonar's Vision</big>'''<br>
On white wings this story is told, pulling back the blackness of night to the embers of a broken house, showing a youth in the ruined lands of ossium, living in fear, torment, distrust amongst the people there. Time passes and the building effort begins, people come from all parts of the empire to aid the people there, talking endlessly of support and kind teaching. Ossium is finally built, now one of the most prosperous territories of the empire, children running through a street, never knowing the oppressive shapes and figures known in poison whispers as 'Druj', a life free of tyranny, for the future, free to choose their path.

Now, visions showing collaboration between orcs and humans, a varushkan merrow in yellow and blue, discussing with senators, all of them warning to uplift those laid low in the Mallum and denouncing those who raise their hands against any who simple wish to live in peace. The vision shimmers with images of strangers drawing together, reinforcing bonds of kinship to ensure they push though hardship together. It finishes with a firepit. Many imperials, orcs and humans, smiling telling stories around the fire, satisfied at the work that they have done and will do, constantly working for a better world. After a moment, though, the fire is suddenly extinguished by a cold wind, and a moment later the firepit is deserted, silent, the flames gone and only burnt ashes remaining.</box></div>

The source of the vision becomes clear reasonably quickly; the heralds of Lashonar have been delivering these visions at the behest of Imperial magicians. A ritual known as ''Summoning the Loquacious Birds'' was cast, apparently with the intention that the eternal deliver this vision to orcs of [[the Mallum]]. Lashonar has decided not to send this vision to the orcs that suffer in Druj lands for a number of reasons. In the weeks following the delivery, his heralds visit masters of Night magic across the Empire delivering messages from the eternal.

Specifically, he will no longer support ''Summoning the Loquacious Birds''. In the past he has gone above and beyond to deliver the messages created with it to people in distant lands specifically because he believed their sincerity. He no longer does. As such, he requests that any existing [[ritual text]] detailing the spell be returned to him - this can be done by taking the text to the Imperial regio and performing the [[operate portal]] ritual. He will provide a small boon in payment at the Winter Solstice. Regardless, he warns that he will no longer deliver messages created with Summoning the Loquacious Birds. The ritual can still be cast to ''send'' messages to him, but it has always been in his power to choose who receives those messages. Going forward, he will simply choose to deliver them to the magicians who cast the ritual, fulfilling the letter of the agreement if not the spirit.

Furthermore, Lashonar withdraws their offer to provide the [[Archmage of Night]] [[Archmage_of_Night#The_Caucus_Forum|access to the Caucus Forum]]. The eternal does not bar Imperial citizens from that meeting place - ''nobody'' is barred from the Caucus Forum. They may still request it if they wish - just like anyone else can - there will simply be no special priority given to their request.

Lashonar wants to be clear that these two changes are only peripherally related to the decision of the Imperial Conclave to remove their [[Alignment#Amity|amity]], [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Lashonar_to_Neutrality|returning them to neutrality]]. The ''Chatterer'' has been uncertain about the Empire for a little while now, and what crystallized their decision was that fact that the declaration indicated this was done because the eternal had "endangered both the Imperial and Non Imperial citizens of Spiral", presumably by helping deliver messages on behalf of some of the [[spire|spires]] there. The ''Speaker in Dreams'' was known to be a proponent of peace in [[the Barrens]], and quite annoyed following recent events there and in the [[Salt Flats of Sanath]] (to put it mildly). This final attempt to restrict the communication the eternal endorses has apparently upset and angered the ''Conscience of Kings''.

The eternal is also clear that they intend to continue speaking to Imperial magicians, and helping them communicate with others, but that such opportunities will happen on ''their'' terms rather than being something citizens of the Empire can take for granted.

==Naming Names (Sung)==
* Sung has extended the opportunity to solve the mystery of a herald's name, which started at the Summer Solstice
* One of her heralds will attend the Arcane Colloqium to hear any final guesses, at 5:45pm on Saturday in the Hall of Worlds

As part of her plenipotentiary at the Summer Solstice, ''The Rainbow Serpent'' sent one of her heralds to dance through “the great pool of visions” that can be experienced through the Signs and Portents ritual. She offered a special boon to any who are able to identify this herald, and discern its name from the riddling images it created. It is not known whether anyone managed to crack this mystery, but either way Sung has chosen to extend this opportunity by another season. She has suggested that the herald's appearance is something of a "red" herring; that its name has more to do with what it can be seen doing or holding, and "how many meanings can become one."

One of her heralds will make a brief appearance in the Hall of Worlds shortly before the Grandmaster Elections, at 5:45pm on Saturday of the Autumn Equinox. Anyone who wishes to make a guess may whisper it in the herald's ear, or hand it to them on a piece of paper. The herald will have up to 5 boons to hand to the first "correct enough" answers given.
==Struggles (Irra Harah)==
* '''Irra Harah has invited “anyone with a struggle” to lend a small item to him for a night'''
* '''These items will be returned on Sunday afternoon with a minor enchantment related to struggle and freedom'''
* '''The items must be small in size, and can only be sent through the imperial regio with the operate portal spell, between 10am and 10pm on Saturday'''

As Summer wanes, word spreads from the wild and unseen places of an offer from Irra Harah. From 10am to 10pm on Saturday of the coming Autumn Equinox it will be possible to send him an item by casting operate portal at the Imperial Regio. The item must be placed in a small pouch (no more than 10cm x 15cm) along with a note of no more than 12 words explaining its significance to a personal struggle.

Each of these trinkets and totems will be handed to one of the heralds under his protection to keep for the night - clasped tightly to their chest or stowed away in a favoured hiding place. ''The Prince with a thousand foes'' hopes his wards may learn something from the owner’s struggles that allows them to better survive the savagery of the Spring realm. In return, some of the realm’s resonances of Vitality and Chaos will be left on the item itself, leaving behind a minor enchantment to assist the owner in their mortal struggles. This will not affect the strength or skill of the bearer (out-of-character: it will not have any mechanical effect) but should help them keep focused on their goals and what it will take to achieve them.

Irra Harrah will be sending some of his friends to Anvil on Sunday afternoon to return the newly-enchanted items. They will be at the Varushkan Hearth Fire around 1pm, then heading to the Tree of Names in Wintermark for 2pm.

<box>'''Accessibility:''' If you cannot reach the Varushkan Hearth or Tree of Names for access reasons, please also include in the pouch a note saying where you can be found between 2pm - 2:30pm on a Sunday. One of Irra Harrah’s agents will aim to visit you during that time. </box>

<box>'''Out-of-character Information:''' Everything sent to Irra Harrah through the regio must meet the following requirements:
*Fit in a pouch no larger than 15cm tall x 10cm wide (you may provide your own, or take one from the regio desk)
*Include a note with your CID, character name, and up to 12 words explaining its significance in-character
*Someone must spend a point of mana to cast operate portal, but it does not have to be the owner of the item
*This must be done between 10am and 10pm on Saturday

Any items which are not collected from the NPCs on Sunday afternoon will be taken to lost property, with their ribbons still attached. They will be available for collection from the lost property desk at GOD from 3pm on Sunday. It can be assumed that the item is returned to your character some time over the coming season.

Even with our best efforts, there is an unavoidable risk that somewhere along the line your item will get lost, or end up in another character’s possession. Please be careful about using anything particularly precious or valuable. </box>
==Breached Deal (Zakalwe)==
* '''The Polemarch of Highwatch no longer receiving Pearls of Manush'''
The title of [[Polemarch of Highwatch]] was created three years ago following a [[The_Net_of_the_Realms#A_Citadel_for_Strategy|proposal]] by the [[Zakalwe|Master Strategist]]. One of the boons provided was access to the ''[[Polemarch_of_Highwatch#Pearls_of_Manush|Pearls of Manush]]''. Taken from a cove in the Day realm, where all manner of exotic shells are found, they allowed a powerful Day magician to more easily perform the [[Clarity of the Master Strategist]] ritual. However, as part of the agreement with Zakalwe, these Pearls were ''only'' to be used in the Empire's war against the [[Druj]]. It was agreed at the time that if ever a Pearl was used to enchant an [[Imperial army|army]] facing ''any other enemy'', the heralds resident at [[Polemarch_of_Highwatch#Highwatch_Citadel|Highwatch Citadel]] would abandon their chambers and no further Pearls would be forthcoming.

Shortly before the Autumn Equinox, ''Agon'', Polemarch of Clarity regretfully delivers a message to the garrison at Highwatch. During the Winter Solstice, one of the Pearls of Manush was used to enchant two armies who then engaged the [[Grendel]] in [[Mareave]]. Agon expresses his sorrow, but the arrangement between the Empire and ''Tidehunter'' was ''quite clear''. As such, the Polemarch of Highwatch will receive no further Pearls. They will still receive [[Polemarch_of_Highwatch#Infusions_of_Day|infusions of Day]], but that is all.

==And Finally (Tharim)==
* '''A thousand Ashen Knights of the Thrice-cursed Court, loyal to Tharim, are camped near Quzar in Madruga'''
'''Ematius of Urizen''', as [[Archmage of Winter]], [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_Conclave_sessions#Alignment:_Tharim,_Amity|politely declined]] the offer of [[Tharim|the Bound King]] to send his Bleak Knights to fight with another [[Imperial army]]. For the past year, Tharim's soldiers had accompanied the [[Fire of the South]], supporting the army and the Freeborn warriors. During the Spring Equinox, Tharim [[Skeleton_key#Ashen_Knights_and_Grim_Days_(Tharim)|offered a new deal]], but wanted significantly more in return for his continued aid. Perhaps the obvious expectation was that when the agreement ended, the knights would simply return to the Winter realm... but that is ''not'' what has happened.

When the Fire of the South left [[Madruga]] to [[Glass and flame|fight against the Grendel]] in [[Feroz]], Tharim's knights stayed behind. They are now camped in [[Madruga#Lightsea|Lightsea]] and show no sign of going anywhere. The only time any of them have moved was to go out and look at the destruction caused by the [[Where the river rises|rising of the Scorrero]] which they apparently found very entertaining. They're not keeping Imperial citizens out of their camp, but very few people actually want to go and see what is happening there. For all their smiles, the awful knights give a horrible and unsettling aura of people ''waiting for something''. That said, many people find it uncomfortable to spend time around the heralds of [[the Thrice-cursed Court]] at the best of times, so maybe there's nothing sinister happening here.

Regardless, the citizens of [[Madruga#QUzar|Quzar]] are a bit worried about a thousand very-hard-to-kill wickedly-cruel knights of the Winter realm being camped worryingly close to their town. They'd quite like someone to either get them to move, or reassure them that they're not in danger.

==But Wait, There's More! (Agramant)==
===Taste of Solitude (Holberg)===
{{SOP|by=Lia Adelaar van Holberg, League Assembly|statement= Seek out falsehood and expose the truth! We send Kanute Adelaar van Holberg (Custodian of the Bloody Great Sausage) with 25 doses of liao to root out the conspiracy of murder and abomination that hides beneath the surface of Holberg.|vote=Greater Majority (376-0)|when=386YE Summer Solstice}}
* '''The ''Feasters of Marrow'' are trying to perform a profane ritual connected to the cannibalism across Holberg'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
* '''''Custodian of the Bloody Great Sausage'' is responsible for killing the Feasters of Marrow'''
Last season the League Assembly upheld a mandate raised by '''Lia Adelaar van Holberg''' to call on citizens of Holberg to root out the conspiracy of death and cannibalism that hides beneath the civilisation of Holberg. The mandate, enacted by '''Kanute Adelaar van Holberg''', served well as a beacon of action for the mercenary companies of the League, hunting down and delivering Imperial justice to followers of ''Old Bloody Mouth''. This strident action has led to just a single group remaining in Holberg, the Feasters of Marrow; a group of Pawns who have managed to luck their way into a position of strength and power.

The Feasters of Marrow are meeting in broad daylight, in the Wunderkind Woods, to make use of the ''Deadened Wheel''; a Winter region. There they plan to unleash some profane ritual empowered by the ''Wastewalker'' that will have disastrous consequences for Holberg, affecting those who have taken part in cannibalism recently. Given that '''Kanute Adelaar van Holberg''' enacted the mandate it is his responsibility to kill the Feasters of Marrow.

===Gifts (Astolat)===
{{SOP|by=Jared of the Silent Tower, Vigilance Assembly|statement= We call all citizens to be vigilant to the machinations of the eternal Agramant and his wicked followers. We send Jared, the Champion of Vigilance with 75 doses of liao to root out all those who embrace this unspeakable act and bring them to justice.|vote=Upheld (260-0)|when=386YE Summer Solstice}}
* '''The ''Speakers of Famine'' have retreated to their last refuge'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
{{NoInnocentsPresent}}
* '''''Jared of the Silent Tower'' is responsible for killing the Speakers of Famine'''
Last season the Vigilance Assembly upheld a mandate raised by '''Jared of the Silent Tower''' to call on all citizens to exercise vigilance against [[Agramant]] and his followers. '''Jared''', who also enacted the mandate, was sent to seek out those who had embraced the ''Hunter in the Wastes'' and bring them to justice. The followers of vigilance were able to uncover half a dozen different cults across the Empire, made up of all types of [[Hear_your_footsteps#On_The_Cults_of_Agramant|cultists]]. Finally the last of those uncovered, the ''Speakers of Famine'' from [[Temeschwar]], have been followed to their last refuge in [[Astolat]].

The Speakers of Famine are blessed by ''He Who Calls the Lost to Feast''; each one of the dozen or so bears a [[Agramant#Rituals_that_deal_with_Agramant|boon]] in return for terrible acts of service. If they are not stopped here then they will flee again, this time deeper in to the Empire and be lost.

Mountains of the Moon

2024-09-08T11:00:18Z

Rosemary: /* Grand Vellut Arena */

[[Category:Gazetteer]][[Category:Tsark]]
{{CaptionedImage|file=Tsark2.png|Captions=Regions of the Mountains of the Moon|align=left|width=600}}
==Overview==
The Mountains of the Moon - called the Mountains of Silence by the Axou - lie between the Empire and [[Axos]], to the east of [[Spiral]] and [[Zenith]], south of [[the Barrens]] and [[Therunin]]. Gaining access is very difficult; the mountains create a ring of stone that in many places proves impassable. The first challenge faced by Imperial scouts is finding a way through the high peaks. The only route that is even slightly accessible, the [[#Mislitel Pass|Mislitel Pass]], leads to a confusing maze of narrow gulleys, passages, switchbacks, and tunnels.

Following the eventual completion of the [[spy network]] the [[Imperial Senate]] had [[commission|commissioned]] in [[Construct_spy_network_in_the_Mountains_of_the_Moon|Winter 381YE]], a force of [[Imperial_Roll_of_Honour#Summer Solstice 382YE|Imperial scouts]] was able to infiltrate the territory following the Summer Solstice 382YE, these scouts - especially those of Imperial Orc, Winterfolk, Urizen, and northern Varushkan origin - were able to risk a high altitude approach, pushing over the snow-covered mountain peaks and clambering down sometimes sheer cliffs with rope and piton. The rest are forced to risk treachereous mountain paths, impassable canyons, and thick forests to make their way into the heart of the Mountains of the Moon.

Once access to the territory was actually achieved, Imperial scouts quickly discovered that they were far from the first people to pass over the mountains. There is a hitherto unknown but thriving community of [[orc|orcs]] and humans - who call themselves the people of [[Tsark]] - living in a great valley at the heart of the Mountains of the Moon, apparently oblivious to the Empire.
__TOC__

==The Valley==
Despite the altitude, the valley is surprisingly warm. Hot springs are common, and the central lake appears to be warmed from below. It is quite populated, the people being an apparently freely mixed community of orcs and humans who seem to call themselves the [[Tsark]] people.

Access to the valley that occupies most of the territory is very difficult. A campaign army would need to fight its way through one of the great fortifications to gain access to the interior. From the Imperial side, such an army would need to come through the Mislittel pass from [[Zenith#Occursion|Occursion]] in Zenith, and would need to destroy or conquer the [[#Maze of Zora|Maze of Zora]] before they could move into the heartlands of Tsark.

==Regions of the Mountains of the Moon==
===Naucini===
* '''Quality:''' Hills, Fortified
This hilly region is in the north-west of Tsark, and contains the only viable military route into Imperial territory - the [[#Maze_of_Zora_and_the_Mislitel_Pass|Mislitel Pass]] is a narrow but viable route to the region of [[Zenith#Occursion|Occursion]]. However, the pass has been heavily fortified through the construction of the [[#Maze_of_Zora_and_the_Mislitel_Pass|Maze of Zora]], a labyrinth of tunnels, cutbacks, false bridges and dead ends which serves to fortify the region and prevent passage of any army that does not control the Maze through the region. The great [[#Wall of the Luge and the East and West Rising|Wall of the Luge]] towers above the north of the region. At its base is the West Rising, an ancient system of platforms, baskets and pulleys by which the inhabitants of the territory pull themselves to [[#Visoko|Visoko]] above. As the hills roll down towards [[#Lake Tsark and Merak Falls|Lake Tsark]], herds of llamas dot the landscape, tended by small settlements. By far the largest of these settlements is '''[[#Krug and the Disc of the Ogledano|Krug]]''', set around the Disc of the Ogledano.

===Borenj===
* '''Quality:''' Hills
Outside of the raised plateau of Visoko, Borenj in the south-west is the most mountainous of the regions of Tsark - and certainly the least populated. The peaks that border the region are jagged and treacherous - it would not be possible to move an army into the territory via this region - and the long, winding road that winds from the hills of Naucini down to the fields of Obrotnik is at places dangerously thin, with a sheer cliff down to the waters of Lake Tsark below. The road is at least wide enough that a competent army with good maps could make their way through the region, however. Although the way is dangerous, it sees heavy use, as the orcs and humans of Tsark travel up to the Grand Vellut Arena - the largest of its kind in the territory. Some who travel are among the brave few who work to move the great chunks of white granite from the Kamen Quarry down the slopes to be carefully lowered into boats and ferried across the lake.

===Obrotnik===
* '''Quality:''' Hills, Fortified
Obrotnik is the most habitable part of Tsark, its southernmost region. The land is not flat per se, but cut across the region are the Great Terraces, on which is grown the majority of the territory’s food - the rest being prepared from the algae of Lake Tsark. The road down from Borenj splits here into a thousand tributaries, each leading to many small settlements, villages and town, including the scholarly centre of Adept’s Wisdom. These roads would be easily passable by an army, were it not for the Sentinel’s Watchmen, a network of small fortifications and stone walls built across the terraces, particularly surrounding the Zanaeti Tunnels. The tunnels are of a sufficient size to allow an army passage into and out of the territory to what - by all reckoning - is probably Skouran territory beyond. Indeed, set into the entrance to the tunnels is a distinctive building clad in metal set with jewels - believed to be a Skouran Embassy.

===Temna===
* '''Quality:''' Hills, Fortified
Temna is a hilly territory to the norh-east of Tsark. Unlike the grassy slopes of Naucini, the slopes here are barren and bare. In a few places, there are terraced gardens as in Obrotnik to the south, with settlements set around them to tend, but they are much less fruitful, and the orcs and humans who make their home here clearly have to work harder to produce food to sustain themselves. Still, they appear to live with the same stoic cheerfulness and considered stillness as the rest of the territory. Indeed, outside of Visoko, this is appears to be the region where the most time is dedicated to meditation and contemplation, as exemplified in the wondrous Bisir Meditative Gardens. To the east, the paths that lead upward and into the Zamok Pass - a viable route out of the territory for an army into the west of Axos - are guarded by the great white granite Fengari Gate. The Wall of the Luge towers to the west, and looking across Lake Tsark there are paticularly beautiful views of Merak Falls at dawn. The pulleys and platforms of the East Rising allow travel up the wall to the holy ground of Visoko.

===Visoko===
* '''Quality:''' Fortified
The region of Visoko set on a high plateau that towers far above the rest of the territory. The Wall of the Luge - part titantic monument, part great battlements - is built into the steep cliff walls, transforming something hard-to-scale set into something nearly impassable. Atop the plateau, the air is quiet and supremely peaceful. There is a sense of calm dignity across the region, where old hermits - overwhelmingly orcs - sit and dispense advice and meditation to those who have made their way up the East and West Rising to this place of enlightenment. Here, the hot springs of the Still Pools are fed by minor tributaries until they become a rushing flow that falls down Merak Falls to Lake Tsark beneath. At the north of the plateau, the mountains grow ever more impassable - indeed, it looks as though any viable route down the mountains to the unknown territory to the north has been resoundingly sabotaged from the Tsarkian side. Not only is it impassable to any army - it is unlikely that even a lone traveller or scouting party could make their way across the peaks to disrupt this place of sanctuary.

==Points of Interest==
===Lake Tsark and Merak Falls===
Lake Tsark is a large lake, formed from the caldera of an extinct volcano. The beautiful Merak Falls cascade down from the Still Pools above, hot and fresh from the springs. Away from the falls, the surface of the lake is covered in a thick layer of blue algae. The algae is toxic unless carefully prepared but, when properly dried, is delicious and nutritious. The algae appears to grow due to extensive mithril deposits in the water, indicating a vein far beneath the water on the lakebed. The water of the lake is panned for a small bounty of mithril, but the true potential of the deposit is untapped. When moonlight catches the lake’s surface, the algae and the mithril beneath shine a reflected silver.

Lake Tsark is not itself a region thought it is about the size of one as it is mostly water, save for the mysterious island of Zabor in its centre. It does not count towards overall control of the territory and is certainly impassable by any army - meaning that a force in Naucini could not reach Temna without controlling Visoko and the Wall of the Luge, or by making their way through Berenj and Obrotnik.

===Zabor===
In the centre of Lake Tsark is an island known as Zabor. Boats to this island are infrequent, and even were it not for the sheer cliffs that surround much of it, the water below is covered in the toxic bloom. Imperial scouts are unable to gain access to the island. It looks pleasant enough but there are humans on the island who are not dressed as Tsarkians including some in what appear to be Urizen robes. They look as if they might be prisoners – they certainly don't seem to be able to leave the island. Zabor also seems to be the place where the drug zaboravi is grown.

===Maze of Zora and the Mislitel Pass===
The Mislitel Pass is naturally hard to traverse - the route is narrow and winding, and in many places there is a sheer drop only a few metres away. However, it would be possible for an army to make their way over, were it not for the labyrinth that has been built into, across and around the chasms and crags of the pass as it crosses into Tsark proper - the Maze of Zora. Of a design unfamiliar to anything seen in the Empire, the maze is full of pit traps, dead ends, false doors, walls that shift, pathways that weave around one another and back again.

On the top, set into the rock, guardhouses full of orcs and humans wearing the white cloaks of the cuvari staff the walls, resetting traps and moving the walls of the maze itself, so that the way is never the same twice. None of the traps here are especially lethal - they seem designed to turn back the unwary traveller rather than kill them - but short of marching an army through to dismantle the construction or seize it, no force could pass over the Mislitel Pass.

===Krug and the Disc of the Ogledano===
The town of Krug is set around the circumference of the mirrored Disc of the Ogledano, a surface of polished mithril around half a mile in diameter. The inhabitants - mostly orcs, even more so than the rest of Tsark - are practitioners of Day magic with a scholarly mien, who favour a practice not dissimilar to the Music of the Spheres, but with a choral focus. At the centre of the disc is a truncated pyramid with a glowing light at its peak; this is the heart of a Day regio favoured by [[Sinokenon]]. The mage-diplomats of Krug treat often with the mandarins and other heralds who visit Tsark here, the only regio in the territory.
<div style="float:right; width: 450px; clear: right;"><box>'''Kabaddi'''<br>[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabaddi Kabaddi] is a real-world contact sport popular in the Indian subcontinent and other surrounding and South Asian countries. We decided to use the real-world name for the sport rather than create a made-up name – you can easily find details of the sport online. The only major difference between the kabaddi played by the people of Tsark and real-world kabaddi is that the orcs and humans of the Mountains of the Moon play in sunken vellut rather than on oblong or circular courts.</box></div>

===Grand Vellut Arena===
Kabbadi is a game that appears to be played across the whole of Tsark, in all the villages and the towns. Two teams are on opposite halves of a small field, and take turns sending a "raider" into the other half. This is to win points by tackling members of the opposing team. Then the raider tries to return to their own half, chanting during the whole raid. It is quite violent, though there appear to be some rules about what is considered civil and uncivil play that are hard to pin down. It is a spiritual experience for the orcs of Tsark - akin to the rush that pit fighting gives the orcs of the Empire - but all are encouraged to participate as a form of catharsis of negative emotions like anger, fear, and so forth.

The Grand Vellut Arena is a particularly large example of its kind, a great work of communal culture. It is one of the few places in the territory where there is simply space for large crowds to gather, and on occasion they do, to watch vellut being played, to see sages and adepts speak when they travel down from Visoko, or to hear those practiced in the choral arts from Krug sing. Orcs and humans, sitting as one, enjoying a common beauty.

===Kamen Quarry===
The Kamen Quarry is a modest white granite quarry set into the mountains of Borenj. The work here is neat, methodical - first, a new block is cut from a position agreed by all who attend to the rock - then, collective effort moves it from the quarry itself to one of the great slopes that runs, with cut-outs to stop the rock should it slip or fall, down into the lake below. The block is lowered down the cliffs, over the edge down to a waiting raft, which carries the block across the blue waters of Lake Tsark to the shores of Orbotnik.

While the needs for white granite in Tsark are not great - fortresses, once built, do not easily become unbuilt – the material is still extensively in building homes and vellut arenas. The sages and adepts based over in Visoko ultimately decided upon the allocation of resources if a fair compromise cannot be easily be arranged between parties, but in general the mining of white granite is considered a common good. Any who wish to may come to the Kamen Quarry and assist in the work.

===Adept’s Wisdom===
Adept’s Wisdom, nestled in the terrace-farms of Orbotnik, is a small town notable for its finely crafted white granite dais, on which workers and ordinary folk of Tsark may publicly discuss the finer points of philosophy. When the sages and adepts who reside in Visoko come down from the rarefied heights, they often come to this place in particular to relay their advice. Those who aspire to that position come here to prove themselves in matters of debate, but in these debates it is not winning that matters but showing that you can truly understanding an argument from another’s point of view - synthesis, not conflict, is the aim. If tempers and the blood do rise, a game of vellut and a cup of zaboravi tea helps settle differences.

===Sentinel’s Watchers===
Dotted across the terraces of Orbotnik are squat watchtowers. Unlike the rest of the architecture in Tsark, these were clearly built by someone thinking with martial intent. The members of the cuvari - those orcs and humans of Tsark who deal with the security of its borders - who staff them keep arms around, but not in quick readiness - arms of any kind are a rare site in Tsark, in any case. However, the towers are constructed such that they could quickly form a set of lit beacons across the region, allowing rudimentary communication - like a crude form of the Heliopticon of Urizen - and could be used to help the inhabitants block the path of an invading force by collapsing suitable paths and terraces in a coordinated manner.

As the name implies, the architecture of the Watchers is similar to that of the works of the Sentinel that are found in the Empire.

===Zanaeti Tunnels and the Skouran Embassy===
At the south of Orbotnik is a strange building, clad in metal and jewels. It is odd and clearly foreign to the rest of the territory - although it does resemble in part parts of the Maze of Zora. The dour garb of the exclusively-human figures who inhabit it are a far cry from the brightly-dyed wool of the folk of Tsark. They are Skouran, and this building is their embassy. The Zanaeti Tunnels, whose mouth the building is built beside, are a route into that nation’s land, under the mountains to a deephold beyond. Squat metal tubes are built into the tunnel wall, running up to the building. Within, water flows - by some miracle of Skouran ingenuity driven up from whatever aquifer or cistern they are drawn from. The water within appears to be stored in barrels, and traded with the Tsark-folk in exchange for large bushels of dried algae.

===Basir Meditative Gardens===
The Basir Gardens are a network of finely-laid mithril pathways linking places where mana flows up through the earth. The flow of mana in the area is increased, and the crystals grow large and bulbous, like strange mushrooms from the earth, larger ones upon smaller ones. Around the paths, there are neat rows of flowers and herbs, and the place has a gentle air. The orcs and humans who tend to the soils and crystals are quiet and reserved; the work a way for them to think on their lives, the ways of the Ancestor, and to pass away their troubles.

===Fengari Gate and the Zamok Pass===
The Zamok Pass is a straight road up and over the east of Tsark in Temna into the westernmost part of Axos. Once, the road here continued over the other side to the lost citadel of tragic Solokha. When the citadel fell, the refugees fled here. Now, that disaster is remember only in the woven patterns on the backs of some of the humans of Tsark, who trace their pasts back to that place. After the disaster, the Fengari Gate was built, to keep out any of the other citadels of Axos who might take an interest.

The Fengari Gate itself is a great set of white granite doors which block the path. The doors take hours to open or close - the best part of a day of a team of strong folk working flat-out - and are built into a narrow part of the path with cliffs on either side. Any force wanting to move into or out of the territory would first have to make sure they controlled the Gate.

===Wall of the Luge and the East and West Rising===
The Wall of the Luge is a massive construction of white granite, set onto the steep volcanic crags and cliffs up to the plateau of Visoko. While it is clearly an effective defence - no army could cross Visoko without conquering the walls - its primary function is as a great work of art. In these towering walls are carved countless faces and statues of human and orc alike, dressed in the distinctive patterned wools - though the patterns are carved in white stone - of the Tsark people. Every orc and human of the people - Luge, in an old tongue - has a right to see their face remembered here on death. The oldest carvings are nearly worn completely away, and space on the wall grows thin, but the practice continues, unbroken, since the beginnings of the nation now lost to history.

Those who scale up or down to Visoko travel by the East and West Rising, a set of precarious baskets, platforms and pulleys set across the wall, allowing the work of carving to continue across its whole face, and allowing passage up and down to those who want it. Yet it is a long way to fall, and one must to be brave to make the journey.

===The Still Pools===
Around the Still Pools of Visoko, the wisest of Tsark make their counsel. To the extent that there is any seat of power in the territory, it is here. Among the gently-flowing hot spring waters that bubble from the ground beneath and pass over pools filled with ancint bones, quiet conversations are conducted and careful agreements made for which village or town will receive the bounty of the quarry or the lake in the season to come.

==Game Information==
* The map that accompanies this map is in-character and suitable for using with scrying rituals.
* There are four [[fortification|fortifications]] in the Mountains of the Moon. The Maze of Zora (rank three), the Sentinel's Watchers (rank two), and the Fengari Gate (rank two) each guard a pass into the Mountains of the Moon. It is impossible for a campaign army to enter the Mountains of the Moon without first capturing the region guarded by one of these fortifications. The Wall of the Luge (rank four) guards the plateau of Visoko. That region cannot be entered by a campaign army until the fortification is conquered or destroyed
* The Kamen Quarry is a white granite resource. Scouts estimate that it could produce as much as 26 wains of white granite each season.
* Lake Tsark appears to sit over extensive mithril deposits. The people of the Mountains of the Moon appear to sift mithril from the water at a few key points around the side of the lake, providing around five wains of mithril each season. It's impossible to predict how much mithril is under the lake, or how might might be decanted each season if the process were better organised.

==Further Reading==
* The [[Tsark]] people.

Here to stay

2024-09-07T12:24:20Z

Rosemary:

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"You know what says ''we are here to stay'' better than anything else?"

"Is it a city?"

"... maybe."

"You are ''so'' predictable, you Tamazi."

"Certainly mock if you like. But, even so, it really is a great way to say ''we are here to stay'', and it's an even better way to say ''if we leave we are definitely coming back, because all our things are here''."</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 500px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Grumpy Turtle.jpg|align=left|caption=The folk of southern [[Mareave]] refuse to cooperate with the Empire, or the Empire.|width=500}}</div>
==Overview==
During the Summer Solstice, the Imperial Senate commissioned [[Appraisal#Eilian_Sweetwater|Eilian Sweetwater]] to undertake an [[appraisal]] in the newly conquered [[territory]] of [[Mareave]]. He was asked to find ways to deal with the [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Uncooperative|uncooperative]] inhabitants of the southern regions - [[Mareave#Fleisardh|Fleisardh]], [[Mareave#Clisearn|Clisearn]] and [[Mareave#Eoradal|Eoradal]].

The Navarr prognosticator spent much of his early career as part of the [[Historical_research#The_Department_of_Historical_Research|Department of Historical Research]], and so began the appraisal by exploring historical precedents, looking at incidents where the Empire has achieved peaceful relations with [[orc]] communities, and reviewing documents such as ''[[Mareave and Urizen]]'' that deal with the history of the territory. He also visited the independent city of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] to speak to scholars there. At the end of the day, however, there is a limit to how much the past can help to shape the new future in this territory. Achieving a good outcome in southern Mareave will need diplomacy, and while that is not Eilian's strong suit, with the aid of the Imperial Orcs the first steps have been made towards perhaps achieving that goal.

==Bonds and Bargains==
* '''An Imperial enchantment has both helped Eilian with their appraisal, and stored up trouble for the future'''
Eilian spends most of his time working on finding common ground. He and his assistants are helped along their way by Imperial Orcs - especially those of the Sannite and Tamazi septs - and by the efforts of [[Golden Pyramid]] magicians. There is another factor that both helps, and in some ways hinders, his appraisal: the influence of an [[enchantment]] of [[Autumn magic]] laid on the territory by Imperial magicians. The ritual is subtle, but noticeable by any [[magical skills#magician|magician]] capable of casting the [[detect magic]] spell. It draws the [[Autumn magic#Resonance|resonances]] of [[Autumn_magic#Binding|binding]], [[Autumn_magic#Bonds|bonds]], [[Autumn_magic#Travevl|travel]], and [[Autumn_magic#Communication|communication]] to nudge coincidence and weave serendipity such that people seem to naturally come into contact with other people who share their attitudes and opinions, making it easier for them to make new friends.

Like all such magic, however, its influence is entirely indiscriminate and unpredictable. As Eilian points out, the effect cannot be directly guided by a conscious mind as it might be if a [[mandate]] were being undertaken, and so it is as likely to hinder efforts to strengthen the Imperial hold over Mareave as it is to support them. While it helps business owners find customers and investors, but it also helps bandits recruit new members for their bands. It helps Imperial Orcs find those amenable to joining the Empire, but also helps criminals and traitors strengthen their own organisations.

From Eilian's point of view the enchantment has been useful in allowing him to make contact with those who share his interest in finding ways to address the disputes of the recalcitrant orcs with the Empire. Unfortunately, it has also encouraged those resisting Imperial dominance to find those who share ''their'' interests and encouraged them to double-down on their position. As the Autumn equinox approaches, and the enchantment fades, those associations created through Autumnal coincidence do not go away; indeed they are likely to get stronger. In a way, the enchantment has accelerated sands that were already flowing through the hourglass, raising the spectre of a possible rebellion if the three uncooperative factions continue to build bridges with one another - assuming the Empire does not build stronger bridges first.

==The Problem of Peace==
* '''Eilian believes the first step to resolving matters with the uncooperative groups in Mareave is to recognise all the people there as foreigners'''
Eilian looks at events in [[the Barrens]] and [[Ossium]], considering things that went well and things that went poorly. All of his proposals are predicated on the understanding that the orcs of Mareave - ''all'' the orcs of Mareave - are [[Imperial_Law_Overview#Individuals_and_the_law|foreigners]]. The Empire has already [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Senate_sessions#Ratify_Treaty_with_Beoraidh|ratified a treaty]] with former Salt Lord Ehsan of [[Mareave#Beoraidh|Beoraidh]] in which the people of the city and of [[Mareave#Sinfoyard|Sinfoyard]] are granted that status. In theory, all the other orcs of Mareave are still barbarians. They have no protection under Imperial law, it is illegal to trade with or offer succour to them, and they can be killed with impunity. This disparity helps drive the resentment in the south and it is surprising that the ''entire'' territory is not uncooperative.

After consultation with the Civil Service, they have agreed to present an [[Senate_motion#Administrative_Motions|administrative motion]] on Friday evening during the Autumn Equinox, asking the [[Imperial Senate]] if the people of Mareave should be considered foreigners. The majority of the folk there are not fighting the Empire, and any who take up arms to do so would be treated as criminals under Imperial law. In his petition, he points out that while the Empire finds it easy to [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Declaration_of_War|declare war]] against its enemies, its ability to ''stop'' being at war is barely developed. Historically, this was because until a handful of decades ago the idea that conquered people - conquered ''orcs'' - might be able to live peacefully alongside Imperial citizens was inconceivable. Even as little as sixty years ago, the Empire would simply have killed, enslaved, or driven out everyone in Mareave as part-and-parcel of conquering the territory. Today, thanks to advances such as the [[The_Doctrines_of_the_Faith#The_Doctrine_of_Enlightenment|Doctrine of Enlightenment]] and the efforts of people in all walks of like, that approach is widely seen as unacceptable.

Solving the problem of peace is not part of Eilian's remit (his casual suggestion is that [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Assignment|assignment]] explicitly declare peace with anyone in the territory, and let the law sort out people who keep fighting, causes several members of the Constitutional Court to sputter into their morning tea). If the Imperial Senate does not wish to pass the proposed administrative motion, they would still be able to declare individual orcs in Mareave to be foreigners, of course, with individual motions, but one of the challenges is that the three main groups are not part of the same faction. It would take up to three motions to declare them foreigners individually (or even more if the Empire wanted to stop treating any people of the northern regions who have not bonded to an Imperial egregore as barbarians).

<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''<big>Uncooperative Quality</big>'''<br>Any Imperial army stationed here has its upkeep increased by a tenth for every region that has the quality, and as long as ''any'' region has that quality the territory cannot support an Imperial army.<br><br>Recent developments in [[Ayereed]] have highlighted [[Steel_and_salt|further difficulties]] due to the hostile environment in the northern part of the territory, and the difficulty of moving vital water supplies through Mareave in part thanks to the uncooperative groups in the south.</box></div>

==Uncooperative and Recalcitrant==
* '''Three regions have the uncooperative quality reflecting low-key opposition, resentment, and resistance from the population'''
The first thing Eilian does when he reaches Mareave – apart from to have a hot bath and sleep for a day to shake the last echoes of [[Spiral]] from his head – is to cement his understanding of what the problem actually ''is''. There are plenty of people in Mareave who are not averse to the new regime; some are even interested in becoming Imperial citizens, especially those with existing ties to those who now compose the [[Sannite]] sept. Most of them live in the north however.

In the south there are three large “problem groups” resisting the Imperial Orcs and the Empire. For the most part they simply refuse to cooperate – refuse to share their knowledge of the land or their resources, or to offer any support whatsoever. A small number are resisting more actively; forming small bandit groups to prey on newcomers, to threaten supply lines or orcs who are deemed to be "too friendly" to the Imperials, and perform low-key sabotage of roads, bridges, and the like. At the moment these gangs are still in their infancy, but they may become a thorn in the side of the Imperial Orcs if the situation goes unaddressed.
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;"><box>'''<big>Thrace's Inspiration</big>'''<br>The [[consecration#True Liao|true liao consecration]] of the Legion's Rookery as an [[Inspirational_location#Memorials|inspirational location]] dedicated to [[Known_exemplars#Thrace|Thrace]] has major implications for these [[commission|commissions]], provided they are commissioned before the end of the Winter Solstice 386YE. The basic labour costs of anything built in Mareave before that time is paid entirely by Imperial Orc volunteers. This benefit is included in each of the descriptions below, but this advantage does ''not'' cover the extra funds needed due to the [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Under-developed|Under-developed]] quality, or extra funds required to secure the aid of the Eoradal orcs. Likewise, if the [[Legion Engineer]] commissions one of these projects, the amount of wains needed is reduced by a fifth.</box></div>

Eilian believes that there are three main groups of people in Mareave who, if they could be convinced of the benefits of cooperation with the Empire, could bring an end to the problems in the south. They are formerly wealthy Grendel in [[Mareave#Clisearn|Clisearn]]; cynical chancers of [[Mareave#Eoradal|Eoradal]] who believe Imperial presence here is a temporary inconvenience; and the powerful Brine Turtles sept of [[Mareave#Fleisardh|Fleisardh]].

Throughout their report, Eilian uses the words "people" and "orcs" interchangeably, but in an afterword points out that this is not entirely factual. There are also a few scattered human communities in Mareave, just as there apparently are throughout the Broken Shore. The Grendel have been observed using human mercenaries in their armies for years, and there are uncorroborated stories that some of the other territories of Attar might contain actual human septs similar to, but less powerful than, those of the orcs of the Broken Shore. None of these people feel any more connection to the Empire than their orc neighbours do; they are however a problem for another time. Eilian notes wryly that there is a certain symmetry in the idea of the Imperial Orcs having to decide what to do about the truculent humans they have conquered, for a change.

==Selfishness==
* '''The orcs of Clisearn resent their loss of status, and the 'favouritism' shown to the city of Beoraidh'''
* '''A great work build in Clisearn could play on Grendel selfishness, and to show the benefits of cooperation with the Empire'''
Many of the orcs who remain in Clisearn were wealthy Grendel; valued miners and engineers, privileged artisans and magicians, rich landowners or farmers. They resent the loss of status they have experienced with the Imperial conquest. A number retreated to Beoraidh, or fled the territory entirely, and those who remain look forward to the return of the Grendel because they see it as the only way to restore their lost prestige.

Eilian is able to ascertain that the core of opposition here is centred around the leaders of three families of orcs, forced to work together by the conquest of the territory. They are: ''Devan Adahr'', a talented engineer who received a grant of land for himself and his family after leading enhancements to the Fundindelve mine; ''Savurn Marr'', a diviner and practitioner of [[Day magic]] exiled from Beoraidh due to Wind Lord politics; and ''Regan Tholdie'', a formerly prosperous farm owner whose fortunes have been devastated due to the loss of all his slaves. Like all those who remain in Clisearn, they are no friends of the former Salt Lord and his cronies; for whatever reason they are unwilling, or unable, to join Ehsan's city state.

The main problem facing the Empire here is that under Grendel domination the people here were important, wealthy, and felt privileged. Their estates are among some of the most fertile in the territory – water is abundant here, and so the region is rich with farms and beautiful gardens, as well as well-developed mines in the mountains. The Clisearn orcs have effectively been knocked down to the status of second-class citizens. They resent the Empire and the Imperial Orcs for spoiling their comfortable lives, and in their selfishness lies opportunity.

===Hollow Prestige===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Clisearn Grand Market'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:'''Great Work</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Ohwinn Dell, Clisearn</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 50 wains of mithril, 30 Crowns, three months</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Base labour costs would normally be 150 crowns, but are are reduced to 0 by the inspiration of Thrace; the remaining 30 crowns are due to the [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Under-developed|Under Developed]] quality and are not reduced by that opportunity</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Increases the level of investment for mines in the territory by one, providing 2 ingots or 36 rings to every mine in Mareave</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Removes the uncooperative quality from Clisearn if the orcs are also made foreigners</td></tr>
</table>
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightGreen;">'''Steward of Works'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Type:''' Imperial</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Appointment:''' Steward of Works</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Powers:''' Oversee the Clisearn Grand Market</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Responsibilities:''' Oversee the Clisearn Grand Market, liaise with the families of Clisearn, support Mareave miners</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Eilian believes that the orcs of Clisearn could be won over by a demonstration that the Empire recognises their former privilege'''
* '''Clisearn Grand Market provides benefits to the Imperial orcs, but also shows the Clisearn families the benefits of cooperating with the Empire'''
With all the groups of recalcitrant orcs, the first step to bringing the Clisearn families round is to recognise them as foreigners. For some of the Clisearn, the fact Esahn and his supporters have been recognised as independents rankles; they would ideally want the entire region [[Powers_of_the_Imperial_Senate#Concedence|conceded]] to them. Eilian doubts there is any political will for that to happen, and anyway there's no reason at all to think it would be a good idea. It could easily solve as many problems as it causes.

In Clisearn Eilian proposes that the Empire employ a “carrot” to encourage the orcs to get over their resentment, and see the benefits of cooperating with the Empire. The Imperial Orcs, especially the [[Sunstorm]] sept, have a cultural opposition to working in mines, and some of the other septs accept their prohibition. Yet as the Golden Pyramid pointed out [[Digging_for_fire|last season]] the mountains of Mareave are packed full of valuable ore ripe for the taking. After studying the history of the [[Steward of the Mines of Gulhule]], and following discussions with the Golden Pyramid and members of the Sunstorm, Eilian develops a plan that would help mollify Clisearn, and also help the Imperial Orcs.

The ''Clisearn Grand Market'' would serve as a place to buy and sell goods, and as a gathering place for workers, engineers, and miners. It would attract those looking for good wages across both Mareave and the wider Empire. Built near the Fundindelve, it would focus on mining, but farm labourers and other workers could be recruited here as well. It would also present a convenient way for Clisearn landowners to find employees to work their mines and their farms.

The hills and mountains of Mareave are very rich in metal; recognising that Eilian proposes that an Imperial Orc be appointed to oversee the Grand Market. The ''Steward of Works'' would be an Imperial Orcs national position appointed each year by [[Tally of the Votes]]. They would be responsible for looking after the Grand Market, but they would also be responsible for liaising with the families of Clisearn. As part of their role, they would be able to encourage the mines of Mareave to focus their efforts on metals useful to [[Crafting skills#Artisan|artisans]], or precious metals such as gold, silver, or iron. ('''OOC Note:''' During downtime after an event, the Steward could email [plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot] and shift the benefit provided to mines by the great work to be either 2 ingots of their base type, or 36 rings representing investment in precious metals. The benefit would remain set to one or the other until the Steward chose to change them again).

While the work to bring prosperity to the territory would be valuable, the real benefit of the Great Work and related title would be the effect it would have on the Clisearn families. Having an "Imperial official" specifically to address their concerns would help restore their lost sense of prestige and importance, giving them the impression they are at least as significant as the court of former Salt Lord Ehsan. A great work helps everyone in a territory, so the Clisearn families would be able to find workers for their own mines and farms, but crucially they would find it easier to employ such workers if they were Imperial citizens - their own self-interest may start to incline them towards considering joining the Empire.

The Grendel as a whole do not build great works. There is a strong thread of selfishness in the Grendel psyche, reinforced by their particular understanding of [[Grendel_religion#Prosperity|Grendel Prosperity]] and [[Grendel_religion#Ambition|Grendel Ambition]]. A Salt Lord would invariably choose to create things the Empire would recognise as [[sinecure|sinecures]] or perhaps [[ministry|ministries]] rather than a great work. Partly because having something that one person has control of builds their prestige and plays into Grendel political games, and partly because of the fear that "undeserving" people might benefit for the "foolish" largesse of the great work builder. This investment would help the Clisearn families see the benefits of working with the Empire rather than opposing them. They would not automatically become ''friends'' to the Empire, but their own self interest would see them cease their open opposition.

Once foreigners, and once the Grand Market is complete, it may be possible to bring the Clisearn families into the Empire. Getting them to listen, to see how cooperation might benefit them, would be the first step.

==Cynicism==
* '''The people of Eoradal believe the Empire are here only for the short term and the Grendel will soon be back in charge'''
The people of Eoradal are mostly orcs who did well out of offering service to the Grendel; rewarded with land and privileges for serving the Salt Lords. For the most part, though, they have little actual ''affection'' for the Grendel. Rather the problem here is that they expect the Salt Lords to return at any moment, and anticipate both great rewards for staying “true” to their former masters ([[Grendel_religion#Fidelity|Fidelity]]), and punishment if they throw their lot in with the Empire too readily ([[Grendel_religion#Retribution|Retribution]]). Foremost among the Eoradal orcs resisting the Empire are the ''Uthni'', a widely extended family native to Eoradal who claim a strong connection to the Grendel ancestor [[Grendel_religion#Rucraic_-_The_Storm_Lord|Rucraic the Storm Lord]].

The people of Eoradal did well out of the Grendel, but didn't actually have that much love for them. Eilian found the warmest welcome among the families here of anywhere in the three regions. These orcs are close in temperament to the Sannite, but they are motivated by a belief that the Grendel are going to come back, and that this conquest of Mareave by the Empire would prove as temporary as the Grendel conquest of Spiral has always been. They view the Imperial Orcs presence as a disruption of the normal order of things that will soon be over. They are opposing the Empire because they believe it will earn them favour with the Salt Lords when they inevitably return – and because they just don't see any long-term advantage to cooperating.

The level of cynical self-interest these people demonstrate surprises even the worldly Eilian. At first she's at a loss of what to do to convince them that their best interest lies in working with the Empire rather than against it. During the Solstice, the Imperial Orcs Synod sent a contingent of Tamazi to Mareave to explore the place for opportunities. ''Ketus Stonewalk'', the experienced stonemason who recently drew up plans for the [[Standing_in_the_sun#Warded_Walls|Walls of Gildenheim]], makes a suggestion which by happy coincidence aligns with something the sept would be keen to see in Mareave regardless.
===Not Going Anywhere===
<div style="float:right; width: 500px; clear: right;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed" style="float: right; margin-left:10px; width=50%; max-width:500px;">
<tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Fortified Settlement'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:'''Fortification</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Skouran Ruins, Eoradal</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 80 wains of white granite, 100 Crowns, one year</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Upkeep:''' 10 Thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Base labour costs would be 240 crowns, but are reduced to 0 by the Thrace opportunity. The remaining costs - 48 crowns due to the [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Under-developed|Under Developed]] quality, and 60 crowns to employ Eoradal orc assistance, are not reduced by that opportunity</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' The support of a Summer eternal to infuse it with adamant is required</td></tr></td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Effect:''' Removes uncooperative quality from Clisearn, establishes walled settlement in Mareave</td></tr>
</table></div>
* '''Outside of Beoraidh and Fioroult there are few large settlements in Mareave'''
* '''Eilian and the Tamazi propose the Imperial Orcs establish a fortified town in Eoradal'''
The challenge here is to convince Eoradal, and the outspoken Uthni, that not only are the Imperial Orcs here to stay, but that they will ''come back'' in the event their dominion is challenged. Showing the people here that they genuinely view Mareave as part of their Empire, and as part of the Imperial Orcs nation, will challenge their cynicism and encourage them to make accommodation with the Imperial Orcs. While the orcs may be cynical about the border, they know that the Empire has endured for nearly four centuries. It represents permanence once it sets its mind to things.

So with Ketus' assistance, Eilian presents plans for a fortified town - or more realistically a fortified and walled settlement that will grow into a town (or event a city) one day. The settlement would represent a kind of territorial capital for their people, and as it is roughly in the middle of the territory, Eoradal represents the ideal place to establish it. There are also ruins in the east of the territory that once marked a large [[Skoura|Skouran]] settlement, that was supported by a long-since collapsed aqueduct bringing fresh water down from the mountains. The labour costs are higher than might be expected, even allowing for the problems of moving materials to Mareave. This is because part of Eilian's plan involves offering incentives to the Eoradal orcs to help the Imperial Orcs dig wells, clear the site, and raise walls, demonstrating that it is more rewarding to work with the Empire than against it.

The centrepiece of the settlement would be a bastion or fortress, and every settlement needs protective walls. In time Ketus suggests that the settlement could grow to rival Beoraidh or Gildenheim. Coincidentally, this is exactly the kind of urban centre the Tamazi favour. Quite a few of the Tamazi are enthusiastic about establishing a settlement in Mareave – previously from Axos the climate here is much closer to what they many of them are familiar with. If the Imperial Orcs commit to creating a settlement here, then substantial numbers of the sept would move south to help build it. By metaphorically driving a pin into the map saying “Mareave is an Imperial Orcs territory and we plan to keep it that way", and by showing the Eoradal orcs that they can profit from working with the Empire, they can win the recalcitrant orcs round and silence cynical voices.

Eilian is initially unconvinced, but as well as being masters of stonework the Tamazi are canny magicians. Ketus proposes that the Imperial Orcs prevail on the [[Archmage of Summer]] to petition either the [[Adamant|King Under the Mountain]] or the [[Cathan Canae|Queen of the Endless Glacier]] for their support before beginning construction. The whole point of establishing the fortified settlement here would be to show the Eoradal orcs that they are here for good - and the best way to do that would be to infuse the foundations of their building with ''adamant'', in the same way the [[Semmerholm#The_Adamant_Gate|Adamant Gate]] in [[Semmerholm]] is. This would mean that even if the Grendel did recapture Mareave, the fort would serve as a "promise" of the Imperial Orcs' return. Without this additional step, Eilian's concern is that if the Grendel counter-attacked and destroyed the fort it would actually make it harder for the Empire to maintain control of Mareave when they returned - having shown that their "pin in the map" was so easily removed.

It might bring other benefits as well. While Eilian can't predict its exact effects, it would demonstrate the commitment of the Imperial Orcs to everyone in the territory. It would be perfectly positioned to benefit from any effort to restore the Skouran aqueduct (and providing large amounts of pure water to the settlement would help it grow, as well as being good for local farms). It would provide an urban centre for Imperial Orcs exploration of the territory, drawing more settlers from the north and also convincing more Mareave orcs to join the Empire bringing in additional funds to the Imperial Treasury - as the settlement grew so would the prosperity of Mareave.

==Shells==
* '''The Brine Turtles are a powerful sept, and their warriors still fight under Grendel banners'''
* '''In addition to being uncooperative, the Brine Turtles place the territory under threat of invasion'''
Finally, the Brine Turtle sept is the dominant power in Fleisardh. For years they were one of the two dominant forces in Mareave, rivalling the power of the Salt Lords of Beoraidh. The southernmost region of Mareave is their heartland, and almost everyone living there belongs to the sept. Their warriors are currently in Ayereed [[Steel_and_salt|fighting the Empire]] but still the leaders of the sept expect them to return, along with the rest of the Broken Shore orcs, and drive the Imperial Orcs out of their territory any day now. Paradoxically, they would be the group most likely to take up arms against the Empire... if not for the fact most of the people able to wield those arms are ''already'' fighting the Empire to the south.

The leaders of the Brine Turtle - their civilian leaders at least - are concentrated in and around the settlement of Fioroult and one of the few large sources of potable water in the region. As a sept they are proud, comparatively powerful, and resentful. They control the borders between Mareave and the rest of the Broken Shore, and are keen to see the Imperial Orcs driven out. At the moment they are barely even prepared to ''talk'' to the Empire, let alone help it move through their arid lands or share their resources with it.

Recognising the Brine Turtles as foreigners will make it easier to negotiate with them but it will take a lot more to stop them wanting the Empire gone. As the Autumn Equinox approaches, and with a heavy heart, Eilian begins to worry that the only way to deal with them is to drive the sept out of Mareave by force of arms, and hope that a future prognostication might help deal with the consequences. In the end, he is helped by a seemingly chance encounter with an Illarawm - ''Bonesung Reller'' - visiting ''Rucraic's Aerie'' in Eoradal.

Reller points out that the Brine Turtle are fundamentally not that different to any other orc sept – they are proud of their traditions, proud of their ancestors, proud of their lands. They're not ''really'' allies of the Grendel as such; they just have a long history of working with them. The Illarawm have seen this kind of thing before, in [[the Mallum]] and even in some ways with the [[Imperial Orcs]]. Instead of trying to ''guess'' what the Brine Turtles want, why not ask them?

With Eilian's assistance, Reller makes cautious contact with the elders of the Brine Turtles, presenting themselves as a mystagogue and shaman rather than a representative of the Empire. After their meeting, they recount a tense exchange that runs the risk of exploding into violence at any moment, but that the elders of the Brine Turtles are ''frightened'' and ''angry'' more than anything else. They know that without the protection of their army, the Empire could kill them all and take their land without breaking a sweat. They know that without the commitment of the Grendel, their army would be decimated by Imperial forces - and they are ''also'' angry at the Salt Lords for leaving them at the mercy of the Empire while committing their military on the other side of the Bay of Catazar while the Empire tore through Mareave like a hot knife through buttered turtlemeat.
===Turtles all the Way Down===
* '''Eilian proposes that the Senate make it illegal to hunt or harm turtles in the Bay of Catazar'''
* '''This is an opening gambit that will not end the problem by itself but will allow negotiation with the Brine Turtles sept'''
* '''The Illarawm may be able to serve as diplomats for the Imperial Orcs'''
Despite this Reller believes that there is a chance to defuse this situation and ''potentially'' bring the Brine Turtles to the point where they are content to live as foreigners in the Empire. They doubt there is much chance the sept would join the Imperial Orcs, but the only way to find out would be to find some common ground between the Empire and the Broken Shore orcs.

Heads together, Reller and Eilian propose that the first step to showing that the Empire is not the enemy is to make it illegal for Imperial Citizens to hunt turtles anywhere in the Bay of Catazar. What at first seems silly is actually very serious indeed to the Brine Turtles. The sept takes its names from the great sea-going turtles that return each year to nest below the cliffs of Fleisardh. As [[Sea-wood_fed_with_copper#Objective:_Poach_the_Brine_Turtles|recent military intelligence]] showed, the sept sees a vital connection between the turtles and their own ancestors and fortunes.

According to the elders, one of the ways the Salt Lord maintained the support of the Brine Turtles was by allowing them to punish anyone who harmed one of the beasts. Only one kind of turtle is important to the sept, but Imperial citizens are unlikely to be able to tell the difference between the various species in the Bay. Applying the same law the Grendel apparently applied would send a message to the sept that the Empire was not going to ride rough-shod over their traditions. It would crack the door open, and at least create a space for negotiation.

Eilian predicts that there would be very minor loss to Imperial taxation in a few of the coastal territories; no more than 4 Thrones total in his estimation. A small number of people who hunt turtles would need to find alternative employment, but there don't seem to be ''that'' many businesses or farms that focus exclusively on raising or hunting turtles in the Empire. Most would be able to pivot to other prey.

Mystagogue Reller has another proposal, for the Imperial Orcs assembly. They believe that if the same [[Set_my_lands_in_order#Six_Septs|mandate]] used to send the Tamazi to Mareave were used to ask the Illarawm to approach the Brine Turtles, it may be possible to establish a line of communication with their elders, provided the law suggested by Eilian were passed. The mandate would need to be worded appropriately, and the only "benefit" it would provide would be the chance to open negotiations with the Brine Turtles rather than anything more general. This isn't the only way communication could be established of course, but it is Reller's opinion that the mystagogues are in the best position to make peaceful contact with the sept.

One last note; Reller cautions that the Brine Turtles represent an opportunity, but also a danger to the Empire. How they choose to deal with this sept will be seen by the other Broken Shore septs as representing how they themselves might be dealt with. Direct violence would solve the immediate problem, but it would lay up trouble for the future as every one of the other Broken Shore septs would expect similar treatment. If the Empire can persuade the sept to deal with them peacefully, then they believe it will be slightly easier to get the other septs to find a path to at least neutrality once their lands in turn are conquered.
==Violence==
* '''A single Imperial army could remove the uncooperative trait form a single region in a season with an appropriate order '''
Eilian has not spent much time exploring opportunities around violence; he sees no need to do so. A single Imperial army could end the uncooperative problem in a region in one season. The General would issue the [[Army_orders#Cautious_Advance|Cautious Advance]], [[Army qualities#Resilient|Grinding Advance]], or [[Army qualities#Gather intelligence|Gather Intelligence]] order, naming a region and clearly stating the intent to crush or drive out the recalcitrant elements in that region. The army would likely suffer a small number of casualties - no more than fifty in Eoradal and Clisearn and up to a hundred on Fleisardh - and the uncooperative quality would be removed. It would be impossible to drive out only recalcitrant orcs - a lot of people who were otherwise neutral to the Empire would be slain or displaced, reducing the likelihood of any positive opportunities related to the people of Mareave, or them joining an Imperial nation, and causing many more of them to simply keep their heads down and wait for the Grendel to return.

However, doing this even once would permanently sour relations between the orcs of the Broken Shore and the Empire not only in Mareave, but across the entire Grendel nation. They would know the kind of treatment they would expect at Imperial hands, and act accordingly. Eilian projects that the Grendel would find it easier to raise armies, and resupply those armies, when their people knew that the coming of the Empire would bring only destruction. Indeed, as there were fewer places to drive the orcs ''to'', the resistance against the Empire would become stronger as they would know they faced an existential threat to their lives and those of their families.

The other reason Eilian has not spent much time considering this problem is that nothing he sees from the Imperial Orcs suggests they are keen to simply kill the people living in Mareave. If he is incorrect, he suggest that another [[appraisal]] might turn up other opportunities, but asks that should they commission it the Imperial Senate choose someone else to perform it.
==More Friends==
* '''There are a series of other opportunities relating to Mareave this season'''
The Prognosticator's Office is not the only force busily exploring the Empire's newest territory this season. The Imperial Orcs assembly asked representatives of the [[Tamazi]] to look for opportunities here; the [[Grandmaster]] of the [[Golden Pyramid]] directed their [[Conclave order]] to seek ways to improve the territory's prosperity; and the [[the Marches|Marcher]], [[the Brass Coast|Freeborn]], and [[the League|League]] assemblies all urged their nation to offer their expertise to help the Imperial Orcs in Mareave. Details of what they have been up to are recounted in the '''[[We all stand]]''' wind of fortune.

==Further Reading==
* [[Mareave]]
* [[We all stand]] - 386YE Autumn wind of fortune detailing various contributions to the prosperity of Mareave
* [[Digging for fire]] - 386YE Summer wind of fortune detailing the Golden Pyramid contribution in Mareave
* [[Into the spin]] – 386YE Spring wind of fortune summarizing the situation in Mareave
* [[Imperial_elections#Eligibility_to_Vote|Eligibility to vote]] – Guidance on eligibility to vote

The first shot

2024-09-06T20:13:55Z

Rosemary: /* Hercynia */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Autumn]][[Category:Recent History]]
<ic>"You heard the news?" Brendan asked, the excitment obvious in his voice.

"Course I have. We got 18 votes I hear." Dai sighed theatrically and rolled his eyes to emphasize his disappointment. "I'd like to find whoever those two priests were and shake their hands. It's good to know two of them have got their heads screwed on right."

"You still reckon it's a mistake then?" Brendan asked.

"I dunno." the old guide replied definitely.

"You don't know?" Brendan queried, shocked. He'd known Dai for twenty years and in all that time, he'd never known the priest not have an opinion about everything. "You seemed pretty certain before the summit. Why go to all that trouble of sending them your mandate in if you don't know?"

"Because I don't know. Look everyone wants to fight the vallorn. We're Navarr, we've all sworn oaths to defeat the vallorn. The question wasn't do you want to fight the vallorn. You can't be Navar if you don't want to fight the vallorn. The question was whether this
is the right ''time'' to fight the vallorn. And I don't know the answer to that question."

"Everyone voted for it. They must be pretty certain we can do it."

Dai Summers hocked and spat in contempt. For a few moments he stood in silence gathering hs thoughts. "Look, I've read every word written down in Hacynian. There is no way anyone can know whether this is going to work or not. And that's my point. I don't know. Nobody knows. They say all knowledge is incomplete - but I'd like to have been a lot more certain of victory before we all bet the steading on it."

"You don't think we'll win then?" Brendan said, a note of concern in his voice.

"We might. I've got hope, same as everyone else does. But hope isn't a Virtue. Hope won't beat the vallorn. We need armies for that. We need allies. We need a lot of things we don't have enough of yet. We'd better find them and quick. We voted with our hearts - well fine - what's done is done. But if we fight with our hearts we lose. And if we lose then everyone loses. If the Empire loses then we lose the Empire. All of it. A fine way to keep our oaths that will be."

Brendan pondered that for a moment. It was hard to imagine anything could destroy the Empire, but then he remembered the vallorn destroyed Terunael. "So what do we do?" he asked.

Dai Summers grinned at his old friend. "Well we'd better do everything we can to make damn sure we don't lose hadn't we?"
</ic>
<div style="float:left; width: 350px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=LongStriding.jpg|align=left|caption=The first steps towards victory over the vallorn have been taken... now for the many, many more steps that come after.|width=350}}</div>
==Overview==
* '''The Navarr have taken the pivotal decision to begin the final battle against the vallorn'''
* '''This has significant implications for the nation especially for the stridings'''
At the Summer Solstice, the [[Navarr]] took the pivotal decision to [[The final countdown|begin the final battle against the vallorn]]. Following the [[A_thousand_years_of_longing|publication of the research on the vallorn]] the leaders of the nation were faced with two distinct choices. Either wait for the right opportunity and use the next decade to build up their strength in readiness - or seize the moment and commit the entire nation to war. Link up the [[vallorn]] and let the final fight begin.

Arguments raged - there were plenty of Navarr who felt the risk of disaster was simply too great. If the vallorn begin to expand and the Empire doesn't have the strength to stop them, if they aren't in a position to overcome the monsters of the Spring realm, then everything the Navarr nation have worked for since the fall of Terunael will be lost. The centuries walking the [[trods]] will all have been for nothing. The Empire will be destroyed, just as Terunael was destroyed all those years ago. Surely they owed it to Navarr and Thorn, to the generations of Navarr that followed them, to do everything possible to build up the Navarr's strength before beginning this final war.

In the end the decision of the Navarr Assembly was overwhelming with the greater majority of priests voting to march to war. After centuries of waiting the nation would grasp the nettle. Thanks to the work done by the vates and their allies, the nation knows what needs to be done. All that is needed is for the scouts to locate the right opportunities to take the fateful steps to begin the last battle.

There can be no going back from such a decision. The Wintermarkers would say that the Navarr have forked their skein, there can be no return from this. But the war will only begin when the the trod network is complete. It seems like there is a lot of work to do first.

==Going Home==
{{SOP|statement=We march to war! We send Corey Wayfarer with 200 liao to urge every Navarr to remember the oaths they swore. Let us eradicate the ancient abomination and fulfil our nation's ambition to see the end of the vallorn for good.|by=Corey Wayfarer|vote=Greater Majority (464-18)|when=Summer Solstice 386YE}}
* '''All across the Empire Navarr stridings are turning back, and leaving the trods'''
* '''More than two thirds of the Navarr stridings plan to give up their wandering and commit themselves to the fight'''
* '''The Navarr can now raise three more armies'''
News of the Navarr Assembly's decision spreads slowly but inexorably across the Empire, as word travels from one Navarr [[striding]] to another. The Navarr commitment to walking the trods is a fudamental part of the oath they swear to weaken the vallorn. For centuries the stridings have used the trods to bleed the vallorn, weakening it with each step they take. Now, as the enormity of the decision dawns on people they realise that their long travail is finally at an end. It seems like it is time for the Stridings to return home.

Some return filled with excitement, open to the extraordinary possibilities to come. Some make the journey with trepidation, worried about what will happen next. All are welcomed with open arms, even as the numbers swell beyond anything the [[steading|steadings]] can contain. Every [[wayhouse]] is packed, every steading has people sleeping on floors. But the steadings too are changing, the idea that after generations spent trying to hold the line against the vallorn, the time has finally come to take the fight to the enemy is electrifying. Many are swept up by the new possibilities that are opening up, and some are even beginning to talk about what may come afterwards... when the vallorn is defeated.

Not every striding chooses to return. Some still have work to do on the trods, letters to deliver, people to visit. Some are unconvinced by the mandate, questioning the Wisdom of it. Better to stick to what is known to work. Others are more cynical, suspecting that those who rush home now will find they have a long wait before the fighting begins. But the bulk of those who continue to walk the trods do so with new purpose. What the Navarr need now, more than ever, is allies for the war to come. What better way to get them, than to walk the world in search of friends? The idea of acting as ambassadors for the nation, continuing to carry letters and news across the Empire, but using those contacts to drum up support for the nation gives new purpose to many who want to continue walking the trods.
<div style="float: right; margin-left: 10px; max-width: 400px;"><box>
'''Stridings End'''<br>
Any Navarr group that is currently a striding can [mailto:profounddecisions.co.uk email us] to request to change to a steading after the event is over. In addition any character who is a member of a striding that changes to a steading can take a new resource in Miaren, Hercynia or Brocéliande without paying the normal charge. This reflects the deep-seated changes currently transforming the Navarr nation.

<p>You don't have to change your group if you don't wish to do so! There are still plenty of stridings that are still walking the trods at this time. The number has reduced, but there will always be Navarr characters walking the trods.</p></box></div>
Most of those who are returning head for either [[Miaren]], [[Hercynia]], or [[Therunin]]. They are taking lodgings in wayhouses and steadings as they wait for orders on where to go to begin preparing for the coming war. As a result of this vast influx of eager recruits, the maximum number of armies the nation can support has doubled to six. The Navarr can now raise up to three additional armies, one in each of these three territories.

People are eager to fight, but they will need equipment and training. Raising an [[Imperial army|army]] takes time, and it is not clear yet how much time the Navarr will have, nor how much mithril the Empire will spare. If there is not visible signs of an army being raised, then those Navarr who are currently waiting to join up, will be forced to make other arrangements. They won't return to walking the trods, at least not yet, but they will find permanent accomodation, look for work and settle down in the steadings. As a result, the Navarr army cap will decrease by one, if they have not begun raising at least one new army by the end of the summit on the Spring Equinox 387YE. The number of armies Navarr can support will continue to decline by one year, for each year after that in which they do not successfully raise a new army (until there is no spare capacity left).

==Preparation==
* '''New Navarr armies must still be mustered, and will need upkeep from the Imperial Treasury'''
Raising new armies will be difficult - the upkeep of the new armies will have severe implications for the Imperial treasury and there is the small matter of 600 wains of mithril and 225 thrones to be found first. The Navarr will need extensive support, both political and financial from other nations in the Empire to have any hope of raising these armies. Each army will need the approval of the Senate, each will need to be paid for.

Some of the other national assemblies have expressed support for the Navarr, but they may need to raise armies of their own. There is absolutely no possibility of any kind of the Navarr being able to fight the vallorn alone, even if they raised every army they could. Once the trods are joined up, virtually every nation in the Empire is going to be attacked by the vallorn, with a force so powerful that it completely overwhelmed the ancient empire of Terunael. The vallorn has often been seen as a Navarr problem - but that will end - it is going to become ''everyone's'' problem.

And not just the Empire, the vallorn in the north, on the border between Otkodov and Varushka will threaten the Thule just as much as it threatens the north. The heart in Liavathen will be a huge problem for the Jotun. The Druj may be able to contain the vallorn heart in the Sarangrave, but the Axou don't remotely have the armies needed to defend themselves against an all-out assault. It is difficult to see how Axos can possibly survive the eruption of the heart in Visokuma, which is reputed to be the largest and most powerful of all the vallorn hearts. Unless something can be done, it will scythe through the citadels like a knife through butter.

Whatever happens, the Navarr will need every soldier they can call on to have even a hope of winning. Hence attention turns to the prospects for raising armies in each of the three Navarr territories where one could now be mustered.

===Hercynia===
* '''An army raised in Hercynia will incorporate significant numbers of artisans'''
* '''The Navarr could substitute some or all of the mithril for six of the available artisan resources if raised in the next two years'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Raise Hercynian Army'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Army</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Hercynia</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 200 mithril and 75 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Can substitute 40 weltsilver, orichalcum, green iron, tempest jade, beggars Lye or irridescent gloaming, for each wain of mithril</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Additional support from Wintermark or the Imperial Orcs will improve the rate of exchange further.</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Two years.</td></tr>
</table></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_Wintermark.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 200px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Assembly_ImperialOrc.png|align=right|width=200}}</div>
Hercynia is the only Navarr territory that includes substantial mountains containing significant deposits of valuable metals. The forges at [[Hercynia#Treji|Treji]] were abandoned years ago when the area was over-run by the [[Thule]] and countless Navarr artisans were enslaved and taken north to serve the Dragons in Otkodov. With the return of these smiths, the forges are slowly being restored to their former glory and Treji is becoming a hub of activity once more. Any army raised in Hercynia is likely to reflect these long traditions. It will include significant numbers of skilled artisans among the ranks. In addition the presence of so many artisans in the area presents a valuable opportunity.

Treji is just one of a number of centres for skilled artisans in the north. Neighbouring [[Hahnmark]] and [[Skarsind]] are both home to some of the most skilled smiths in the Empire. The [[Ethengraw]] [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns|Black Forge]] is built to supply an army and could be of invaluable use to the Navarr if their assembly encouraged them to support it.

The Navarr could call on the local artisans in the area, many of whom have small supplies of [[mithril]] of their own, to help equip the army. They would need to be paid of course, but the nation could choose to give them significant supplies of [[weltsilver]], [[orichalcum]], [[green iron]], [[tempest jade]], [[beggar's lye]] and [[iridescent gloaming]] in exchange for the mithril they need. The army will require 200 wains of mithril and 75 thrones, but the Navarr could substitute 40 ingots or measures of the artisan materials mentioned for each wain of mithril. The total amount of resources used would decrease the costs accordingly - so if a total of 80 ingots of green iron, tempest jade, and weltsilver were supplied, then it would need 2 wains less mithril.

Of course scraping together a lot of resources will not be easy, but it would mean every member of the nation could try to contribute. Acquiring an entire wain of mithril is expensive, but getting a measure of beggars lye is something almost everyone should be able to help with.

If the Navarr got the help of their immediate neighbours, they could replace even more of the much needed mithril with base resources. The Imperial Orcs could use a mandate to ask the Ethengraw to help:

{{Mandate|mandate=The Virtuous build up their fellows. We send {named priest} with 10 liao to encourage the Ethengraw to put the Black Forge to work raising a new Navarr army to fight the Vallorn. Let us prepare for war together!|assembly=Imperial Orc Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then Imperial Orc armies will not be able to take the [[Imperial_Orcs_military_concerns#Army_Orders|forge hammers]] order until the new Navarr army is complete. Instead of providing vital support for the Imperial Orc armies, the Ethengraw will use their forges to help the Navarr raise an army in Hercynia. This will help them use thier materials more effectively - substituting 1 wain of mithril for each 36 resources provided.

Wintermark could also use a mandate to ask the artisans at [[Hahnmark#Runegrott|Runegrott]] to help:

{{Mandate|mandate=Three tears entwined. We send {named priest} with 10 liao to encourage the artisans of Runegrot to put their skills to work raising a new Navarr army to fight the Vallon. Let us fight together as one.|assembly=Imperial Orc Assembly}}

If this mandate is enacted, then the [[Keeper of the Runegrott]] will not be able to forge new artisan items until the new Navarr army is complete. The artisans who work there would focus all their efforts on producing good quality weapons for the new Navarr army. Like the Black Forge, this would enable the Navarr to use their materials more effectively - substituting 1 wain of mithril for each 36 resources provided.

If ''both'' mandates are enacted, the Navarr could substitute resources for mithril at a rate of up to 33 resources for each wain.

===Therunin===
* '''An army raised in Therunin will incorporate significant numbers of herbalists'''
* '''The Navarr could substitute some or all of the mithril for weirwood if raised in the next two years'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Raise Therunin Army'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Army</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Therunin</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 200 mithril and 75 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' Can substitute 1 weirwood for 1 mithril</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Two years.</td></tr>
</table></div>
Therunin has been invaded by the [[Druj]], but the attackers are already on the back foot, with Imperial armies pushing them back. The territory includes [[Therunin#Peakedge_Stead|Peakege Stead]] which is renowned as one of the Empire's premiere locations for the study of herb lore and healing. Any army raised here will include significant numbers of skilled herbalists in their ranks.

The territory is still home to some [[Great Forest Orcs]], and many more have returned to their traditional homes in [[The_Barrens#Eaves_of_Peytaht|Peytaht]] which borders Therunin. The Navarr have sworn a [[Poetry_and_prose#Great_Forest_Orcs|solemn and binding oath]], a terrible ''geas'' that would take the very breath from their body and cause their tattoos to twine and bleed if they ever broke it, promising to protect the Great Forest Orcs as if they were family. This has done a great deal to reassure their allies that the Empire will not turn on them, now that they have disposed of the Vendarri and the Montanians.

If the Navarr chose to raise an army in Therunin, they could count on the support of the Great Forest Orcs, who are deeply in their debt. These people are masters of working [[weirwood]]. The Empire has seen their skills with growing, harvesting, and shaping the precious wood, but the Navarr's allies are also skilled at making weapons of war with it. Any Navarr army raised in Hercynica in the next two years could draw on the skills and experience of the Great Forest Orcs to substitute weirwood for mithril on a 1:1 basis. The army would be equipped with wooden shields, bow and arrows and spears and would make use of armour fashioned from the tough carapace of the vicious creatures that live in Therunin.

===Miaren===
* '''An army raised in Miaren will incorporate significant numbers of vates'''
<div style="width: 400px; float: right; clear: right; margin-left:10px;">
<table class="mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Raise Miaren Army'''</tr>
<tr><td>'''Commission Type:''' Army</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Location:''' Miaren</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Cost:''' 200 mithril and 75 thrones</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Special:''' ??</td></tr>
<tr><td>'''Duration:''' Two years.</td></tr>
</table></div>
Miaren is the heart of the Navarr nation, the only territory that is clear of the vallorn infestation. With the corruption of the Spring realm gone, the Navarr have created a land of golden woodlands with beautiful glades, open steadings with rich fields all surrounding the beautiful city of [[Miaren#Seren|Seren]]. It is a shining example of what all the Navarr territories can become once the vallorn is finally defeated.

There is an almost mystical air to the woods and open spaces of Miaren. The Navarr are careful not to damage any of the Terunael ruins giving the panorama a slightly eerie quality despite its otherwise pastoral beauty. It is also home to many vates and is the location of the [[Dean_of_the_Thorned_Rose#Thorned_Rose|the Thorned Rose]] a school dedicated to teaching vates what it means to use magic responsibly. Any army raised in Miaren is bound to include a large number of vates and other magicians in its ranks.

The presence of so many vates may explain why heralds of various [[eternal|eternals]] are more often seen her than in other Navarr territories. Five in particular have taken an interest in the Navarr's declaration of war on the vallorn. Each is eager to see this monstrosity defeated, for reasons of their own. The Navarr could ask one of these five to provide assistance and support for the new army.
* '''Ossegrahn''' - [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] despises the vallorn for the ruin and destruction it spreads. Though the Cupbearer loathes violence against living beings, they are eager to see the vallorn cleansed from the world. Ossegrahn provides boons of healing and purification which could be invaluable against the vallorn.
* '''Llofir''' - [[Llofir|The Quiet One]] is under [[Alignment#Enmity|emnity]] following a conflict between the Rotlord and the [[Highguard|Highborn]]. However, he is known to be an implacapble enemy of the vallorn and eagerly seeks its end. The Great Fungus provides boons that encourage decomposition, or destroy undead and unliving corpses which could prove useful against the vallornspawn husks.
* '''Prospero''' - [[Prospero|The Golden Prince]]'s heralds are a rare in Miaren, but they claim that the Prince of Ties takes a special interest in Seren, and considers themselves to be a patron of the city. If such is true, then the claim predates any living mortal's memory. Threadweaver provides boons that bring promote influence and wealth of the kind popular with brokers. It is not clear how this would help against the vallorn, but Golden Spider's heralds claim that the vallorn real enemy is civilisation itself - which is Threadweaver's domain.
* '''Kaela''' - [[Kaela|The Black Dog]] is rarely thought of as a natural ally of the Navarr, but the decision to try to end the vallorn once and for all has caught the interest of the Sorrowful One. She rarely offers help proactively, but her heralds have made it clear that the Queen of Silence would look favourably on a request for aid. The Lady of Oblivion offers boons that bring death and a surcease of pain and suffering.
* '''Arhallogen''' - [[Arhallogen|The Spider King]] enjoys a close relationship with the Navarr and has offered aid to them in the past. His heralds are clear that he would do so again, but the Navarr would need to build the [[fane]] that Sharp Fangs desires first. The Spider King offers boons that are violent, helping predators to poison and slaughter the the weak. Veom in particular is an invaluable weapon against the vallorn.
To negotiate for the aid of any one of these eternals, the Navarr would have to use a full [[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|plenipotentiary]], formally asking for the eternal's aid. If that happened, it would be the only matter the eternal would discuss. It would be very unwise to try to obtain the assistance of more than one eternal with the new army.
<div style="float:right; width: 400px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GreenTrod.jpg|align=left|caption=Victory requires the last two vallorn hearts be tied into the network with [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]].|width=400}}</div>
==Going Forwards==
* '''The Navarr will need the help of all their allies to complete the trod network'''
* '''It will take the combined strength of the Empire to defeat the vallorn'''
* '''The Druj, the Thule and the Jotun will all be threatened by the emergence of the vallorn'''
* '''The vallorn heart in Visokuma will be far too powerful for the Axou to face alone'''

To begin the war against the vallorn, the Empire must use [[the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] to complete the network of trods so that they connect all of the six remaining vallorn hearts. The three in the Empire are already connected to the network, as is the heart in [[Liathaven]], and the one in [[Otkodov#Sküld|Sküld]] in the Thule lands. That leaves just two, the heart in the [[Sarangrave]], and the biggest one of them all, in [[Axos#Axou_Territories|Visokuma]] in Axos. That means the Navarr "just" have to connect Visokuma and the Sarangrave while ensuring that no territories' trods are lost and the final war will begin.

To link a vallorn heart to the network, the ritual ''must'' be performed at a Spring [[regio]] in a [[Territory#Regions|region]] that contains the vallorn. That will present some huge challenges that will not be easily overcome. The Navarr will almost certainly need the help of all their allies to link these two territories to the network.

The Sarangrave is under the control of the Druj who are unlikely to cooperate with any attempt to activate the vallorn. The heart is located in the ruined Terunael city [[Sarangrave#Béantal_Dol|Béantal Dol]] surrounded by wards designed to constrain it. Simply finding a suitable regio will be a challenge, but an obvious option would be to send a scouting army into the Sarangrave with orders to locate a suitable Spring regio. The [[Quiet Step]] would have been perfect for this, but the blessing of [[Arhallogen]] came at a price and such things are now beyond them. The only Imperial armies capable of locating a regio in the Sarangrave are the [[Seventh Wave]] and the [[Wolves of War]]. If either of these armies entered the territory with orders to [[Army qualities#Scouting|Gather Intelligence]] and explicit instruction from the [[general]] to locate a Spring regio then the vates are certain it would create an opportunity for the heroes of Anvil to go through the Sentinel Gate to that location (as long as the army was still fighting in the territory of course).

Putting the trods in the Sarangrave may not be enough. The Druj are familiar with them and understand what they are and what they do. Once they realise the danger they present, they are more than likely to attempt to take them down. The Empire will need to find a way to stop them doing that or the whole thing will be for naught.

Visokuma in Axos is even more challenging. Besides the sheer size of this vallorn heart, the Empire does not possess maps that show a clear route to the territory. It might be possible to reach Visokuma from [[Tsark]], [[Skoura]], or the Sarangrave, but there may be Axou territories between the Empire and the vallorn heart. Even if the Empire can find a way to push the trod network into one of those places, then they are still need to find a way to convince the Axou to allow them to reach Visokuma.

Diplomacy is the obvious choice, but it will be difficult. Axos is not on good terms with the Empire, following recent events. In theory they are allies in the Liberty Pact, in practice the small nation continues to nurture a bitter grudge, grousing over the failure of their alliance with the Grendel slavers. Relations are improving, but slowly.

A bigger problem even than the current poor state of relations is that the Axou would almost certainly be completely overwhelmed by the vallorn if it emerges from Visokuma. The military capacity of the Axou is unknown, but they are believed to have no more than a handful of armies. If the vallorn of Visokuma is connected, and the trod-network completed, then the ambitions of ''Nikitis Axou'', the yearnings toward religious unity, the ancient rivalries of the citadels, a thousand years or more of Axou history - none of this will matter. Without vast military aid, it is likely that Axos would fight a short, bloody, and losing battle against the Vallorn. It is hard to be sure how long it would take, but within a year, maybe two, the people of the citadels would be extinguished.

Given that brutal reality, any diplomatic outreach will be fraught with difficulty. It is clear from Illarch Maxtious's communications, and everything that the civil service has been able to discover from within Axos, that the Axou have no idea about any of this. If they are informed of what will happen, then convincing them to allow it will become impossible. But if the Empire connect the network without telling them, then they will certainly be destroyed. Whatever path is chosen, the ambassador will need to tread it carefully if they have any hope of persuading the Axou to support the effort.
==Shoulder to Shoulder==
* '''Two National Assemblies spoke out in clear support of the Navarr decision'''
At the same time the Navarr were making their fateful decision, the matter of the war against the vallorn was discussed in many other nations and several national assemblies proposed [[statement of principle|statements of principle]] regarding the outcome. Details of these statements and their outcome are found in the '''[[The Synod speaks]]''' wind of fortune.
{{Vallorn links}}

386YE Summer Solstice winds of fortune

2024-07-20T22:28:07Z

Rosemary: /* Flavia's Will Enacted */

[[Category:Winds of Fortune]][[Category:386YE Summer]][[Category:Recent History]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=News in the Round.jpg|align=left|caption=News spreads through word of mouth as fast as it does through broadsheets and posters, and is sometimes more reliable. Or at least, unreliable in more amusing ways...|width=600}}</div>
==Overview==
Over the past three months, events have taken place which are of significance to the Empire and may require a response from her champions. These are the winds of fortune, counterparts to the [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_winds_of_war|Winds of War]] which detail the Empire's military campaigns. They lay out situations, and usually include things that characters can do to take advantage of [[opportunity|opportunities]] or to resolve problems. In almost every case, they start with a piece of flavour text. This fiction helps introduce the wind of fortune, or draws out a particular theme or element. Often, it represents a viewpoint that one or more NPCs might have in-character. In all cases, these pieces are intended to help create an atmosphere and provide a little entertainment. Where they contain opinions, those are the opinions of the fictional people depicted - and where they contain information or rumours the assumption is that the reader will create their own context for that information or gossip if they want to use it in character.

The body of the wind of fortune describes situations and lays out ways players can engage with them. Except where we explicitly talk about something being "rumoured" or use a phrase like "some might say..." the details of a wind of fortune are factual. They represent briefing material presented by the civil service or similar authoritative sources and represents something the average educated citizen would acknowledge as a reliable truth. Unless we specify otherwise, we're also being as thorough as possible. This information doesn't need further checking in-character. It's not opinion, and we're not trying to trick you.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of Fortune is to maintain the illusion of the Empire as a living, breathing place where things happen - and to make players aware of things their characters could know based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing for the past three months. It's perfectly acceptable to turn up to Empire having read only a few Winds of Fortune that directly interest your character; part of the fun on the field can come from learning about situations and opportunities in other parts of the game.

In each case, we've tried to tag the Winds of Fortune entry with the nations, or political bodies, to which it is most relevant. We've done this to help people who are interested only in events that are especially relevant to them. In no way are these tags intended to be exhaustive; the Empire is a complex place and very little happens in isolation.
__TOC__
==Winds of Fortune==
===Inextricable, indefatigable, and inevitable===
* '''All Imperial citizens'''
The [[the Throne|Throne]], [[Emperor Vesna]], has used her power to [[The_Throne#Address_the_Empire|address the Empire]] to present a personal message to all Imperial citizens. The message has been distributed across the Empire by the civil service, and you can read it in the '''[[Inextricable, indefatigable, and inevitable]]''' wind of fortune.

===For the Common Good===
* '''Ambassador to the Commonwealth; Imperial Senate; military captains and warbands; Gatekeeprs; citizens interested in relations with the Commonwealth'''
Among the six [[Foreign_nations#Great_Powers|great powers]] of the known world, the [[Commonwealth]] are perhaps the closest allies the Empire has. Their militant society, committed to the idea of ensuring the greatest good to the greatest number of people, does not see eye-to-eye with the Empire on all matters but they clearly respect them. The Empire shared their mastery of magic with the magicians of the Commonwealth, and Commonwealth soldiers fought and died alongside the Freeborn in the [[A beacon of smoke|fall of Siroc]] against the Grendel. Both nations know they must eventually come to blows – Empire and Commonwealth alike are dedicated to extending their influence over the whole world – but for now they can be friendly, at least.

You can learn about diplomatic relations and political complications relating to the Commonwealth, as well as several opportunities, in the '''[[For the Common Good]]''' wind of fortune.
===Thrones and Principalities===
* '''Ambassador to Jarm; Imperial Senate; Imperial Conclave; Champion of Wisdom; Guildmaster of the Artisans and the Artisans Guild'''
Among the great powers, the [[Principalities of Jarm]] are no friends to the Empire. The ''magocracy'', ruled by the House of Princes, has repeatedly denounced Imperial citizens for interfere with its interests. The Empire is also allied with their great rivals, the [[Commonwealth]], and open war has recently erupted between the two great nations. While they are not at war with the Empire, communication in recent years has tended to be brusque and unfriendly.

You can learn about the state of diplomatic relations with the Principalities, as well as some opportunities for trade and commerce, in the '''[[Thrones and principalities]]''' wind of fortune.
===Towers and Crows===
* '''Ambassador to the Sarcophan Delves; Imperial Senate; Weirwood seats; Regarrio Dossier'''
Among the six great powers, the ''Bedelaar Huisbaas'' merchant-princes of the [[Sarcophan Delves]] seek to maintain a level of neutrality. They trade enthusiastically with the Empire, and welcome Imperial merchants in their turn. While they have outlawed slavery, and the trade in slaves, they refuse to pick a side between the nations that make up the [[Liberty Pact]] and the so-called "Freedom Accord". More than anything else, they want to ensure that their trade vessels have free access to the wealth of the world, all the better to funnel as much of it as possible into their own pockets.

You can learn about the state of diplomatic relations with the Delves, as well as a couple of opportunities to trade with them, in the '''[[Towers and crows]]'''.
===Guide the Spirit===
* '''Ambassador to the Sumaah Republic; Imperial Synod; Imperial Conclave'''
Among the six great powers, the [[Sumaah Republic]] are simultaneously rivals to, and uneasy allies of, the Empire. Their shared practice of the Way both unites them through virtue, and divides them through disagreements about how the faith should be practiced and spread. Allies in the Liberty Pact, the priests of the two nations have recently agreed to an amicable split - each Synod going their own way but united by a shared commitment to spreading the Way as far and wide as possible. They just don't agree on what the best way to actually ''do'' that is, and while things are stable at the moment there's no guarantee they'll stay that way.

You can read about relations between the Republic and the Casinean Empire, as well as some opportunities to offer aid to the Sumaah, in the '''[[Guide the spirit]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Price of Peace===
* '''Ambassadors to Otkodov, the Grendel, the Iron Confederacy; Imperial Consul; Imperial Senate; Avisena i Kharizmi i Guerra'''
The Empire shares a continent with a number of adjacent powers, some stronger than others. Four powerful orc nations surround the Empire, the [[Jotun]], [[Druj]], [[Thule]] and [[Grendel]]. The nations of [[Skoura]] and [[Faraden]] are small, each only a few territories at most. The [[Iron Confederacy]] is much bigger however and claims to be the Empire's equal in size and prominence. It may even be true. The Empire maintains careful diplomatic relations with most of these nations, including the Thule and the Grendel.

You can read about diplomatic matters relating to various [[orc]] and human nations, as well as learn about opportunities to interact with them in person, in the '''[[The price of peace]]''' wind of fortune.
===Winds and Flames===
* '''Ambassador to Faraden; Imperial Senate; people with weirwood, orichalcum, green iron, and iridescent gloaming; Military Council'''
[[Faraden]] is one of the smaller nations that neighbour the Empire, a country of merchants and wizards, proud warriors and heretical priests who ''almost'' follow the Way but not quite. There is no shared border - the lands of the [[Jotun]] lie between them - yet there is still a fair amount of trade and has been for centuries. Relations between the two nations vary from year to year, warm one moment, cool the next, but there has never been open war between the two nations. The Faraden would rather trade.

You can read about the current state of diplomacy between the EMpire and Faraden, and learn about a couple of opportunities to trade, in the '''[[Winds and flames]]''' wind of fortune.
===In the Hills, the Cities===
* '''Ambassador to Axos; Imperial Synod and the Throne; Imperial Senate; citizens with white granite to sell'''
For centuries, the Empire and [[Axos]] had little communication, but recently relations thawed, primarily as a result of the Empire's successful intervention in liberating the [[Axos#Gates_of_Ipotavo|Gates of Ipotavo]] from its siege by the [[Druj]]. In the years since, the Empire and Axos enjoyed relatively positive but often volatile relations, with the Empire successfully strong arming the nation into abandoning slavery and then inviting them to become signatories to the Liberty Pact. In the last year or two, however, things have gone from bad to worse, every perceived slight by the Empire making the Axou angrier and angrier.

You can learn about the current unstable situation, and a few opportunities that shouldn't make it any ''worse'', in the '''[[In the hills, the cities]]''' wind of fortune.
===Drumbeat of War===
* '''Ambassador to Asavea; Imperial Synod, including the Way, Highborn, Freeborn, Ambition, and Loyalty assemblies; Imperial Senate; Prelate of Adelmar's Shrine'''
Among the six great powers, the [[Asavean Archipelago|Asavean Plenum]] claims to be the oldest. They were a major power before the [[Highguard|Highborn]] came to what is now the Empire. ''[[Languages#Latin|Old Asavean]]'' was once the language of international diplomacy, reflecting the influence the Asaveans had across the known world. Today their power is much reduced, their society fallen into decadence and introspection, but they are still known for both their political acumen, and their ruthlessness in the face of any attempt to challenge their power. And right now they are at war with the Empire.

You can read not only about the diplomatic tensions with the Asaveans, but also about opportunities related to the missionaries and wayfarers bolstering the Way in the Archipelago, in the '''[[Drumbeat of war]]''' wind of fortune.
===Peaks and Planes===
* '''Marcher and Urizen Assemblies, as well as priests of both nations; Marcher Landskeepers and Threshers'''
The [[the Marches|Marcher]] and [[Urizen]] Assemblies have continued to try to build rapprochement between the two nations following the conflict that developed over the emergence of [[Cold Sun]]. At the same time, though, a growing rift between the Marcher Assembly and the people of the Marches bodes ill for all concerned. While one crisis may be brought to a close, another is rearing its ugly head.

You can learn about the opportunity for an exchange of ideas between Urizen and the Marches, and about the challenges facing the Marcher Assembly, in the '''[[Peaks and planes]]''' wind of fortune.
===Famine and Feast (Plenipotentiary)===
* '''Imperial Archmages and magicians; Imperial Conclave; Fleet owners; the Knight-protector of Spring, the Keeper of the Golden Fields, Sir Elienne of Dawn, Hand of the Healers and the Granger of the Golden Orchard; visionaries, seers and mystics; Severin de Rondell and those currently poking around the Necklace of the Swan'''
Six [[eternal|eternals]] received [[[[Archmage#Plenipotentiary|missives]] from the [[archmage|archmages]] during the Spring Equinox; six eternals have responded to those messages in the months leading up to the Summer Solstice. Four have arranged meetings - both parley and not - for the coming summit, and while two decline to attend they have nonetheless provided boons to Imperial citizens. One of the eternals has not held parley with Imperial magicians for quite some time; and with good reason. The others are unlikely to proove as controversial... probably.

You can learn about the responses of the eternals, and the messages they have sent, in the '''[[Famine and feast]]''' Wind of Fortune.
===A Star is Born===
* '''Participants in the expedition to ''Bring Prosperity to Rachensgrab''; Imperial Senate; Celestial Arch; Imperial Synod'''
At the Spring Equinox, an [[Say_her_name#Far_From_These_Shores|expedition was proposed]], sending [[fleet|fleets]] and [[military unit|military units]] to the [[The_seven_seas#Sea_of_Steel|Sea of Steel]] with the intention of bringing [[Prosperity]] to the former slaves liberated during the fall of [[Burning|Rachensgrab]]. The expedition also intended to do a cursory exploration of the area around the former aerie of the slave lords.

Now the expedition has returned, and you can find out what they discovered far to the east in the '''[[A star is born]]''' wind of fortune.

===Rock and a Hard Place===
* '''Marches; Marcher artisans; Marcher assembly'''
Last season, the Empire [[I_already_know_you#Block_and_Dredge|completed the dredging of Westmere]]. Mixed in with the mud and the silt dragged from the bottom was a huge block of rune-carved stone. Landskeepers who examined the rock confirmed it was hideously cursed, and boded certain doom for anyone who attempted to use it. The question was what could be done with it? It couldn't stay near Meade, that was the one thing everyone could agree on...

You can learn about what has happened with the ''Anvil of Silence'', and what that means for [[the Marches]], in the '''[[Rock and a hard place]]''' wind of fortune.
===Kith and Kin===
* '''Marches and Highguard; Imperial Senate; Champion of Prosperity'''
At the Winter Solstice, the [[Highguard|Highborn]] Assembly declared their [[Full_of_sacred_sound#A_Peerless_Kinship|peerless kinship]] with the Marches. The desire was there to help strengthen their kin and do what they could to support their fellow nation. However they were held back by a lack of direction from the Marches and a nagging fear that the current situation in Bregasland might mean that instead of helping they could just make things worse. The Marcher Assembly has allayed those fears, by using a [[Imperial Synod|Synod]] [[judgement]] to identify what would help most to their fellow priests.

You can find out about what opportunities this has revealed, and how peerless kinship might continue, in the '''[[Kith and kin]]''' wind of fortune.
===The Way Home===
* '''Navarr; Imperial Senate'''
At the Winter Solstice, the [[Navarr]] Assembly supported a [[judgement]] that emphasised the importance of travelling the roads and [[trods]] of the Empire, of being the Empire's strength and blood and soul. Most importantly thought, it spoke of the [[wayhouse|wayhouses]] - those vital buildings that the Navarr raise along the trods to support the [[striding|stridings]], that give them a place to rest and resupply. There are innumerable small wayhouses across the Empire, but few of their operators attend the great summits at Anvil, such is the burden of keeping them running. While some larger establishments such as Treiji Wayhouse have been built in recent years, they have generally been in the heartland of Navarri territories - not, in a sense, the truest expression of the wayhouse tradition. Now there might be a chance to change that.

You can learn about the intriguing opportunity to explore the purpose and power of wayhouses, and some specific examples of what might be done, in the '''[[The way home]]''' wind of fortune.

==Other Events==
There are a number of other events and situations which are noteworthy, but which for whatever reason have not led to a full Wind of Fortune in their own right.
===Flavia's Will Enacted===
* '''Flavia's Will has been discharged'''
Shortly before the Winter Solstice 384YE a prolific [[Urizen]] [[seer]] named ''Flavia of Crystal Hall'' peacefully passed away. Her will [[Gorgeous#The_Will_of_Flavia|instructed]] that a certain notable item from her collection of curiosities should be granted to the first person who could complete several puzzles of her own devising.

At the Spring Equinox the executor of her will, a man named ''Vincenzo di Sarvos'', made the journey to [[Anvil]] to present the prize to the contest's joint winners: '''Eleri Bronwen's Rest''' and '''Melchior of Adina's Charge'''. Vincenzo has since now announced that he now considers the matter to be concluded, his obligation discharged. He suggests anyone wishing to learn the puzzle's solutions - including those in the [[File:Flavia's Will.pdf|original document]] - seek out one of the winners to discuss the answers.

==Trade Summary==
Rather than spread this information out around the various foreign nations, we've collected it here for ease of reference.
* '''Asavean Archipelago:''' The port of [[Asavean_Archipelago_ports#nemoria|Nemoria]] is closed to Imperial trading vessels.
* '''Axos:''' The Axos continue to be annoyed about revelations relating to Imperial involvement in the failure of their [[Roll and fall|joint venture with the Grendel]] into the Mountains of the Moon. Consequently, Imperial fleets suffer penalties to trade with Axos. A fleet captain trading at the [[Axos_ports#Towers_of_Kantor|Towers of Kantor]] suffers a -2 rank penalty.
* '''Commonwealth:''' The ports of [[Commonwealth_ports#Leerdam_.28Eastern_Commonwealth.29|Leerdam]] and [[Commonwealth_ports#Volkavaar_.28Western_Commonwealth.29|Volkavaar]] welcome Imperial traders.
* '''Principalities of Jarm:''' The ports of [[Principalities_of_Jarm_ports#Kavor_.28Northern_Principalities_of_Jarm.29|Kavor]] and [[Principalities_of_Jarm_ports#Vezak_.28Southern_Principalities_of_Jarm.29|Vezak]] remain closed to Imperial fleets.
* '''Sarcophan Delves:''' Imperial captains continue to be welcomed in the Delves. Fleets trading with the great port-city of [[Sarcophan_Delves_ports#Sarcophan|Sarcophan]] receive an additional dose of [[Marrowort]] and an additional dose of [[Imperial Roseweald]] on top of their normal production. The port of [[Sarcophan Delves ports#Betovering|Betovering]] is open to Imperial fleets.
* '''Sumaah Republic:''' There is no penalty to trade with Zemeh and Imperial fleets are welcomed. Be aware that the amount of liao and Imperial roseweald offered has switched as per the [[Parts_of_speech#Trade_in_Liao|Parts of speech]] wind of fortune.
* '''Grendel:''' The port of [[Everything_has_a_price#A_New_Destination|Oran]] is closed to Imperial fleets.
* '''Iron Confederacy:''' The port of [[Iron_Confederacy_ports#Robec|Robec]] is available for Imperial fleets but suffers a -1 rank penalty due to sanctions from the Suranni.
* '''Faraden:''' The port of [[Butterfly_in_reverse#Trade_with_the_Faraden|Caitun]] is available for Imperial fleets. Fleets from the Marches and Wintermark benefit from a +1 rank bonus due to close proximity.

==Mandates==
* '''You can find details of the mandates, along with the rest of the Synod judgements, [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Mandate|here]].'''
A number of [[mandate|mandates]] were successfully upheld in the Imperial Synod last season. As long as the named priest provided sufficient liao, those mandates have been [[Mandate#Implementing_a_Mandate|automatically enacted]].

==Spring Conjunctions==
* '''Last event there were a number of conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate; their known outcomes are listed here'''
During the Spring Equinox, there were a number of [[Sentinel_Gate#Conjunctions|conjunctions]] of the [[Sentinel Gate]] identified by the Imperial prognosticators. In each case a band of Imperial heroes used that conjunction to travel to a location far from Anvil and intervene in an ongoing situation. These are the known outcomes of those conjunctions. In the case of battles, it is important to remember that the [[Military Council]] can only make use of ''two'' of the major conjunctions each summit, choosing which to take advantage of during the Muster.
===Major Conjunctions===
<table><tr><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Location</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opportunity</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Opposition</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Link</td><td style="background-color: LightGray;">Outcome</td>
<tr><td>[[Liathaven|Liathaven, Liath's Glen, Wyndyn Path]]</td><td>Thwart Beater Royse</td><td>Jotun & Yegarra</td><td>[[Under the firelight#Wyndyn_Path_(Liathaven)|Under the firelight]]</td><td>Not taken; [[Mournwold#Green March|Green March]] under threat from the Jotun; the Jotun benefit from increased natural resupply in Liathaven; condition of the Feni unknown</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Kallavesa|Kallavesa, West March, Hvalgrunn]]</td><td>Defeat Jarl Idunn</td><td>Jotun & Yegarra</td><td>[[Under the firelight#Hvalgrunn_(Kallavesa)|Under the firelight]]</td><td>Field Marshal was '''Iron Osric''' of Wintermark; Banner of the Bear Who Swims was claimed; the three Sibling Swords were recovered; Mikko 'Stoutheart' dealt with</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Mareave|Mareave, Fleisardh, Brine Blood Bay]]</td><td>Capture the Brine Turtles</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[Sea-wood_fed_with_copper#Pots_and_Shells_%28Battle%29|Sea-wood fed with copper]]</td><td>Not taken; situation unclear</td></tr>
<tr><td>[[Madruga|Madruga, Free Landing, Siakha's Maw]]</td><td>Stop Siakha's Cults</td><td>Grendel</td><td>[[The_cry_of_gulls#Siakha's_Maw_(Battle)|The cry of gulls]]</td><td>Field Marshal was '''Nicassia Avicia of Phoenix Reach''' of Urizen; kraken eggs were released into the coast; [[Thunderous Deluge]] and [[Foam and Spittle of the Furious Sea]] were both cast on Madruga; status of Mohrain Luain unclear; ''Sea Mage Tuairisc'' survived.</td></tr>
</table>

===Normal Conjunctions===
{|table class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! # !! Location !! Responsibility !! Overview !! Result
|-
| 1 || Karov, Duzekani, The Broken Copse || [[Overseer of the Westward Road]] || [[Momento_mori#Rumours_(Karov)|Defeat the Festering Warden]] || The Festering Warden was defeated and the other husks slain
|-
| 2 || Miaren, Goldglades, The Old Green Fort || '''Aniera Exiles End''' || [[It%27s_only_me#The_Guided_Path_(Conjunction)|Meet with the Burning Vine]] || Uncertain but '''Aniera Exiles End''' may know more
|-
| 3 || Spiral, Screed, Sabina's Sward || [[Oblivion Sentinel]] || [[The_three_pillars#Homecoming_(Conjunction)|Kill the Grendel]] || The Grendel all slain
|-
| 4 || Weirwater, Weirmoor, Roland's Stand || [[Castellan of Spiral Castle]] || [[Momento_mori#With_the_Dawn_(Weirwater)|Defeat the Broken Errant]] || The Broken Errant was defeated and the other husks slain
|-
| 5 || Spiral, Ossuary, Lucia's Grove || [[Legacy|Custodian of the Legacy]] || [[The_three_pillars#Misdirections_(Conjunction)|Stop the Grendel]] || The Grendel all slain and the Legacy protected
|-
| 6 || Karov, Malimorzi, The Granite Path || [[Boyar of the Iron Roads]] || [[Momento_mori#Sharp_Lessons_(Karov)|Defeat the Iron Boyar]] || The Iron Boyar was defeated and the other husks slain
|-
| 7 || Mareave, Eoradal, Old Skouran Orchard || '''Vitore Van Temeschwar''' || [[Sea-wood_fed_with_copper#What_Lies_Hidden_(Conjunction)|Prevent the Grendel from escaping]] || Grendel defeated and treasure retrieved
|-
| 8 || Kahraman, Gambit, Path of Sofia || [[Dhomiro of the Cinnabar Hills]] || [[Below_the_red_rock#Playing_With_Fire_(Conjunction)|Stop the Jotun]] || Jotun defeated and Escuta prevented from receiving additional resupply
|-
| 9 || Feroz, Morajasse, Taziolar's Woods || [[Champion of Wisdom]] || [[The_cry_of_gulls#Coursing_%28Feroz%29|Intercept the suspicious Faraden agent]] || Uncertain but '''Valens Leos''' may know more
|-
| 10 || Sermersuaq, Suaq Fount, Hanleth's Wastes || [[Pride of Ikka's Tears|Custodian of the Pride of Ikka's Tears]] || [[Under_the_firelight#Hard_Heads_(Sermersuaq)|Defeat ''Freydis'' and the rest of the Jotun]] || ''Freydis'' and the rest of the Jotun were defeated
|-
| 11 || Segura, Burnish, Ring of Dust and Glass || [[High Bard of the Empire]] || [[Dream_to_me#Lashonar_(Conjunction)|Perform Align the Celestial Net to neutralise the Fire Beacon]] || Ritual performed and remnants of the Fire Beacon neutralised
|-
| 12 || Brocéliande, Black Boughs, Trove of Gral'athet || [[Reeve of Greenforest Fair]] || [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Beyond the Oak (Brocéliande)|Slay the vallornspawn]] || Vallornspawn slain and Dawnish military units given access to the trove
|-
| 13 || Segura, Sobral Grasses, Parched Grasses || [[Unfettered Mind|Grandmaster of the Unfettered Mind]] || [[Parched_earth#Sobral_Grasses|Rescue the magician and destroy the Yoorn-marked Patrician]] || ''Gideon of the Farthest Shore'' rescued and Yoorn-marked Patrician destroyed
|-
| 14 || Brocéliande, Vale's Lament, Cara's Thicket || [[ Champion of Loyalty]] || [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Seeds_of_Shadow_(Brocéliande)|Slay the vallornspawn]] || Vallornspawn slain and thorns saved
|-
| 15 || Kahraman, Jade Range, Parched Range || [[Mistress of the Dust Parador]] || [[Parched_earth#Jade_Range|Deal with the Lasambrian champion and destroy the Irremais-marked Patrician]] || Irremais-marked Patrician destroyed. '''Nemi i Riqueza''' may know more about the Lasambrian champion.
|-
| 16 || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Toxic Dell || [[Spear of the Seven]] || [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#Road_to_the_Spear_(Hercynia)|Distract the vallornspawn]] || Vallornspawn successfully distracted
|-
| 17 || Hercynia, Deer's Folly, Toxic Dell || [[Archmage of Spring]] || [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_winds_of_war#A_Missing_Leaf|Perform the Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] || [[The Dance of Navarr and Thorn]] successfully performed
|-
| 18 || Segura, Lucksprings, Parched Springs || '''Bakar i Riqueza''' || [[Parched_earth#Lucksprings|Destroy the Naeve-marked Patrician and recover dust]] || Naeve-marked Patrician destroyed and dust recovered
|-
| 19 || Necropolis, Sanctuary Sands, Orchard of the Third Step || [[Champion of Prosperity]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Breaking_Storm_(Necropolis)|Reclaim the heirloom]] || Heirloom recovered and all Grendel killed
|-
| 20 || Necropolis, Longbeach, Ada's Woods || [[Imperial Spymaster]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Deceptions_(Necropolis)|Prevent the Grendel from escaping with intelligence]] || All Grendel slain and intelligence recovered
|-
| 21 || Necropolis, Highrod, Coppice of Athaliah || [[High Exorcist]] || [[Sound_the_bells#Traps_(Necropolis)|Defeat the Grendel and put the ghosts to rest]] || Both ghosts put to rest and all Grendel slain
|-
| 22 || Weirwater, Wickmoor, Regan's Glade || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]] || All boggarts rescued
|-
| 23 || Skarsind, Pakaanan's Pass, Bitter Hollow || [[Storm Shaman]] || [[Eclipse#Doorways_(Skarsind)|Defeat the ''scions'']] || Significant Imperial casualties. Majority of ''scions'' survived and [[Day_magic#Force|force]] of Storm Pass channelled
|-
| 24|| Upwold, Birchland, James' Orchard || [[Keeper of the Golden Fields]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]] || All boggarts rescued
|-
| 25 || Bastion, Sybella Cross, Disordered Expanse || [[Knight-protector|Knight-protector of Spring]] || [[Eclipse#Winds_Rising_(Bastion)|Perform Regrow the Lands Heart and defeat the ''scions'']] || [[Regrow the Land's Heart]] successfully performed
|-
| 26 || Hercynia, Summersend, Merel's Glade || [[Granger of the Golden Orchard]] || [[Skeleton_key#Ripples_in_the_Pond_(Ossegrahn)_(Conjunctions)|Guide the creatures home]] || Most boggarts killed
|-
| 27 || Karov, Wieliczka, Glade of Haamrikoht || [[Champion of Courage]] || [[Eclipse#Hammer_Blows_(Karov)|Defeat the ''scions'']] || Significant Imperial casualties. Majority of ''scions'' survived and the Haamrikoht Stone sundered
|-
| 28 || Arbonne, Laufette, Anduz Watch || [[Ambassador to the Iron Confederacy]] || [[Burying_the_lede#A_Fleeting_Offer|Auction rights of salvage]] || Auction rights purchased on behalf of [[Highguard]]
|}

Last rays of the sun

2024-07-15T09:41:27Z

Rosemary: /* Participation: Miaren and Hahnmark */

[[Category:Recent History]] [[Category:386YE Summer]] [[Category:Military Council]]
<div style="float:left; width: 600px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Red Sky at night.jpg|caption=Two armies of ''scions'' remain in the Empire; the [[Cold Sun]] is setting but it will not be extinguished without sacrifice.|align=right|width=600}}</div>
==Saros==
It's been barely a year since the [[Ruin#Battle_and_Sorrow|first appearence]] of the ''scions'' of [[Cold Sun]]. Since their initial probing assaults, they have brought immeasurable suffering to the people of the Empire in their pursuit of oblivion. Warbands of heralds gave way to entire armies, bringing devastation to territories otherwise assumed to be safe from attack.

The Spring Equinox just passed saw heroes aided by [[Ossegrahn|Lord Rain]] blunt the terrible dying curse of the [[Eclipse#Winnowers|Winnowers]] in [[Bastion]], and [[Eclipse#Hammer_Blows_(Karov)|protect the Haamrikoht Stone]] in [[Karov]]. The battle against Cold Sun is not solely a clash of arms; in [[Segura]] artists and musicians worked with [[Lashonar]] to [[Dream_to_me#Lashonar_(Conjunction)|build a beacon]] to draw in the scattered ''scion'' warbands and allow them to be destroyed by Freeborn warriors. Yet every victory against Cold Sun has been hard-fought, has been paid for in blood sacrificed to protect the people, the soul, of the Empire. The [[Imperial Orcs]] know that particularly well - a desperate attempt to [[Eclipse#Doorways_(Skarsind)|intercept ''scions'']] in [[Skarsind]] saw many brave warriors fall, and the remnants of the [[Eclipse#Still_Walkers|Still Walkers]] destroy themselves to unleash devastating unseasonal storms across the territory.

While there are still several warbands of ''scions'' at large within the borders of the Empire, one by one the armies drawn from the Day realm have fallen to the courage of Imperial soldiers. After the Spring Equinox only two remained at large; the Empty Hands in [[Miaren]], and the Silence Arc in [[Hahnmark]].

==Rhonwen's Fall==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Farenthar Shattersong, General of the Quiet Step">Thorns, we are going home, our job is not done. The Cold Sun scions still burn but their flames are dying out. Call on the Courage of your oaths to fight as thorn. Remember what they have taken from this Empire. Let them take no more, destroy them, for Liathaven awaits! </quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=QuietStep_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
The Empty Hands taint and twist the trees of Miaren. Last season the armies of Highguard protected the people and the territory but could not destroy the ''scions'' army. As the Spring Equinox approached, the heralds of Cold Sun advanced on [[Miaren#Rhonwen’s_Fall|Rhonwen's Fall]].

The Granite Pillar and the Valiant Pegasus are needed elsewhere, answering the call of Hahnmark's beacons and Kahraman's defenders. In their place comes the Quiet Step, marching down from distant Karov to strike the final blow against the Empty Hands. The Navarr Assembly has urged the thorns of the nation to [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_73|destroy Cold Sun]] and to [[386YE_Spring_Equinox_Synod_judgements#Judgement_116|protect Miaren]] in particular. Warbands from Navarr, Urizen, and even Highguard swell the ranks in Miaren, practically doubling the number of soldiers fighting against the ''scions'' of Cold Sun.

The Quiet Step reach Miaren at [[Miaren#Serenael|Serenael]] and [[Army_orders#Cautious_Advance|move carefully]] south, alert for the possibility of a trap. There are scattered encounters with the ''scions'' – the Empty Hands have sent warbands north and west from their position in [[Miaren#Greenfalls|Greenfalls]], seeking to attack [[steading|steadings]] who have refused to give ground in the face of the threat of Cold Sun. The further south the army travels, the more sign of the ''scions'' taint they see – trees transformed into an unliving material similar to polished bone or hard ceramic. The mark of the Empty Hands, which spreads wherever they travel and seeps into the beautiful woodlands of Miaren that the invaders seek to cleanse.

They also see other, more immediate, signs of Cold Sun's presence. Burnt steadings, villages, orchards, and farmsteads. A profound absence of people – many fled, many more slain by the servants of oblivion.

The main body of the army is gathered at Rhonwen's Fall.
Once this was Sanctuary Falls, a refuge where Navarr took shelter from barbarians and treated the scars of their thousand year battle. It was renamed in the first few decades of the Empire, in honour of the [[archmage]] who gave her life to help defeat the vallorn of Miaren. There are two steadings here, close enough that many Navarr considered them to be one and the same – Fallshome and Longshadow where artisans once worked to capture some of the beauty of the cascading water. Built into the cliff under the falls that feed the upper reaches of the Gancio, the Imperial scholars who gathered here studied ancient [[Navarr_magical_traditions#Patterns|designs]] carved into the rocks, teasing out information about the creation of the [[trods]], and old ritual dances that date back to the earliest days of the Navarr.

By the time the Quiet Step reach Rhonwen's Fall, not a bird or a beast stirs in woodlands blasted by the presence of the Empty Hands. Barely one tree in five is still alive, the rest having been transmuted by the aura that emanates from the ''scions''. The gates have been broken, the scars of desperate battle visible around the area. They take no prisoners, the ''scions'' of Cold Sun. They are strangers to the idea of mercy. The pool below the falls is choked with ash.

Grief fills the hearts of many Navarr thorns, especially those who had visited the Fall in happier times. To see this place of sanctuary and learning defiled by the madness of Cold Sun drives many to furious rage. The Thorns quickly discuss their approach, and prepare an assault against the walls of the steading.

The ''scions'' are not the only ones who can fight without mercy, but the orders of the General hold the angry thorns back, preventing them giving into rage and vengeance and throwing their lives away. Scouts identify the best route to approach the former steading, probing strikes launched to test the defences of the invading heralds. As the sun rises in the east the day after the Quiet Step reach Rhonwen's Fall, they begin their attack.

There is nowhere left for the ''scions'' to retreat, and they fight viciously to kill as many of the soldiers that come against them as they can. They make good use of the defences of the steading, but what failed to protect the Navarr people here will surely fail to protect them from those who come to avenge their victims. Half the ''scions'' that [[Things_that_burn#The_Empty_Hands|burned]] [[Dean_of_the_First_Voice_Glade#First_Voice_Glade|First Voice Glade]], and sought to [[Eclipse#Empty Hands|destroy the city of Seren]], have already been destroyed. The remainder are no match for a furious army of Navarr and their allies, but they never attempt to surrender, to ask for or offer quarter. As each ''scion'' falls – dying silently without a whimper or a cry – their body crumbles to ash. Those who fall in battle against them meet a crueller fate, their bodies calcifying in the manner of the trees of Miaren. A few magicians are present to prevent such a tragedy, ready to offer [[Surcease of Sorrow]] to those who cannot be saved, or to [[Turns the Circle|Turn the Circle]] for those who have lost their lives before the malignancy that surrounds the Empty Hands can save them. A score or more of bodies now lie where they fell, uncannily precise sculptures of grief and foul magic.

As the sun rises higher, the defences around Rhonwen's Fall are broken a second time. The Imperial soldiers spill into the ruined settlement. The last defenders, including the Grand Archon of the Empty Hands, withdraw into the caves carved into the wall of the falls, into the depths of Fallshome. The Navarr follow. The beautiful murals are spattered with blood, tapestries and paintings centuries old are ruined or burned by withering fire. The carpets sodden with blood as one by one the last of the Empty Hand fall.

The last to go is the Grand Archon itself, brought to brook in what was once the dining hall of the steading. It shows neither regret nor remorse as the last ''scions'' fighting alongside it are cut down, and just before it is dispatched back to its hateful master it says... something. No-one records its final words, and whatever they are is lost in the chaos of the final fight.

Between the engagements with warbands, and the Battle of Rhonwen's Fall, more than a hundred Navarr are slain. The Empty Hand is shattered, the army destroyed by the Navarr. A handful of warbands, those too far from the falls to make it back in time to join the desperate defence, are still at large in Miaren but the vile aura that was slowly killing the trees in Miaren has at least ceased to work its terrible transformation.

Both steadings at Rhonwen's Fall have been utterly ruined. What the ''scions'' themselves did not destroy was broken during the attack of the Battle itself. The designs that once drew scholars from across the Empire are still mostly intact, but parts have been scoured or broken by the ''scions'', seemingly intentionally. If they had had a few days more, there might have been nothing left.

In the days that follow, it becomes apparent that some of the Navarr who lived here escaped, fled before the coming of Cold Sun into Astolat. Most chose to stay and fight, to protect the sanctuary of the falls and the history it represented.

For now, there is time to regroup, to mourn the fallen and what has been lost, to repair the trods that run through Miaren. Then, perhaps, it will be time to look toward the future.

Or perhaps, more immediately, to look to the north...
==Tower of the Eagle==
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Vana, General of the Autumn Hammers">Autumn Hammers! We have only just formed and yet the cold sun have bled us. We will NOT let this stand! We will take the fight to the Cold Sun in Hahnmark, we will make them know fear with the strength of our arms and the sharpness of our wits forming a balanced attack. We will strike with the names of the fallen in our hearts and in our voices. Ashborn Shad. Firestorm Kirra. Bloodcrow Vassa. Bloodcrow Rakk. Bleakshield Zorra. Redhand Spoons. Skywise Felk. Irontide Brakken. Gaterender Dran.</quote></div>

<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Irontide Skorr, General of the Summer Storm">Legionaires, Janon heralds. We broke the Still Walkers in Skarsind, but we faced losses in skirmish. Firesong Kirra, Irontide Brakken, Irontide Finn, Bloodcrow Vassa, Bloodcrow Rakk, Ashborn Shad, Redhand 'Spoons', Skywise Felk, Bleakshield Zorra and Gaterender Drall. We carry these losses with us as we go to Hahnmark to kill the Silence Arc. Be relentless. Cut them down. No more losses.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 600px; clear: right;"><quote by="Asenath, General of the Granite Pillar">Sisters, Brothers, Siblings, a long journey I have walked, way before you all knew me and the Empire was even a Dream. When my name was Apaay Ukiuking, chief of chiefs of the Suaq - She who mediated the first meeting of the three people who would become one nation. Slow was my progress until the day Lev of the Unbound asked me to stand as your general. Swift the virtuous cavalcade every day since taking up the Granite Pillar mantle. What a gift to my soul's progress it has been to lead you. I ask today that you follow me on one last journey to answer the loyalty of Kindra Surefoot and the call of Iron Osric's aching heart. For me this is a pilgrimage - a return to the place where my story started. I ask that you join me and use this opportunity to bring virtue to the Scions in Hahnmark. With every deed matching word, let us also show the people of Wintermark our commitment that we will heal the wounds that past delusions and strife across the Empire have allowed too long to foster. To the people of Wintermark I say -This wound once healed will be a scar that tells an important and beautiful story. Look to the East. Grandma is coming home.</quote></div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=SummerStorm_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=AutumnHammers colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: right;">{{CaptionedImage|file=GranitePillar_Colour.png|align=right|width=300}}</div>
For the last six months Hahnmark has been defended only by the heroes of Wintermark. By the light of the beacons, they have fought the ''scions'' of the Silence Arc. They have [[Things that burn#The Silence Arc|driven them]] away from [[Hahnmark#Valsamark|Valashal]], and [[Eclipse#Silence Arc|chased]] them across the flatlands of [[Hahnmark#Kronemark|Kronemark]].

The beacons have done their job; helped the champions of [[Suaq]], [[Kallavesi]], and [[Steinr]] keep the ''scions'' from spreading their curse of oblivion across the entire territory. Now, at least, three Imperial armies come to answer their call. As Spring fades toward Summer, the [[Granite Pillar]] of [[Highguard]], the [[orc|orcs]] of the [[Summer Storm]], and the newest army of the [[Imperial Orcs]] nation, the just-mustered [[Autumn Hammers]], come to the aid of the 'Mark.

Highborn [[Church_of_your_heart#Virtue_Within|zeal]] and the [[Army_qualities#Relentless|focused furor]] of the Summer Storm are counterbalanced by the more [[Army orders#Balanced Attack|even-handed]] tactics of the Autumn Hammers. They waste little time; their aim is to destroy the Silence Arc before it can use the power of [[Cold Sun]] to bring widespread devastation to the heartlands of the Steinr.

The orcs fight with the names of the dead on their lips, the names of those who fall fighting the remnant of the Still Walkers in Skarsind, and the crimson-skinned heralds of the [[Janon|Shadowed Flame]] who fight beside them fan the flames of their grief and their anger. They aren't the only supernatural entities who accompany the Imperial Orcs; a trio of iron-masked observers from the [[Lictors|City of Bar and Bond]] have taken it upon themselves to accompany the Autumn Hammers. They occasionally make tiny, inconsequential suggestions as to how ''this'' supply line might be better organised or ''that'' makeshift palisade might be better positioned, but for the most part they simply observe the tactics of the new-minted army.

The Highborn fight with virtue as their shield and sword alike; they have faced three armies of ''scions'', and now they will ensure that the heralds are driven back to the demesne of their crazed master. Cold Sun has sought to slaughter the virtuous of the Empire, to tear at their spirit, for almost a year. The first army of Highguard will not rest until their threat has been ended once and for all.

As well as the armies, four thousand independent warriors fight alongside them. The majority battle with the Summer Storm, but a few with each of the armies and a couple of Wintermark champions still battling beneath the light of the Hahnmark beacons. They are also joined by the host of the red bear - the same powerful ursine heralds from the realm of [[Cathan Canae]] who fought in the defence of Valashal, called to battle the enemies of Wintermark in [[Begins_where_it_ends#Cathan_Canae|acknowledgement]] of the [[heroism]] of the nations warriors.

For their part, the Silence Arc are gathered at the ''Tower of the Eagle''. The old ruin, a tumbledown tower atop a hill that was once a beacon, marks the location of a powerful [[regio]] aligned with the Day realm. Three thousand scions have encamped around the tower, raising defences and clearly preparing to face the assault of Imperial forces. Why here? Why now? The Summer Storm saw the destructive force unleashed by the [[Eclipse#Still Walkers|Still Walkers]] firsthand; they have reason to be worried about what the Silence Arc may be planning.

The ''scions'' send a few warbands out to keep pressure on nearby halls, but they are focused on ensuring they are not driven from the ruins. They have quickly established defences; barbed spears of blue-green crystal jut like distorted stalagmites from the low hills around the Tower of the Eagle. They are strong as stone, and glow with an unwholesome radiance at night. They also take advantage of the terrain here, working with the familiar supernatural cohesion to keep a force several times larger than them at bay.

It's rare to see the ''scions'' fight defensively; this may be the only time they have not actively been striving to spread their wickedness and find new victims to destroy. The supernatural soldiers fight with the same awful silence they have shown before; they do not cry out when injured, they do not sing or shout in battle to raise morale, they simply fight as effectively and efficiently as possible to bring down their foes.

[[Unconquered]] scouts report that the concerns of the Summer Storm are by no means unfounded. While the majority of the ''scions'' keep Imperial soldiers at bay, a small cadre of channellers are busy building something atop the central hill, using the hollow shell of the Tower of the Eagle as a scaffold. They work under the guidance of the high archon of the Silence Arc. The Unconquered say the majority of the construction seems to be done by coalescing or extruding the same crystal that makes up the defences scattered around the tower. They are also using significant amounts of mithril, and small amounts of what can only be ilium. The courageous scouts who manage to confirm this pay the ultimate price; the last burns to ash from the inside out even as they deliver their final report to the commanders of the Imperial forces.

Stories of what [[Eclipse#Blade_of_Skies|happened at Duzekani]], at the [[Eclipse#Winnowers|White Tower]], are known to everyone here. With grim determination, a bold plan is sketched out and put into operation. As the Summer Solstice approaches, the Granite Pillar launch an irresistible attack against the Tower of the Eagle. They press forward, focusing on killing every ''scion'' in front of them, but trusting to the Imperial Orcs to protect their flanks. For their part the Summer Storm focus their fury not just on the destruction of every ''scion'' who tried to stop their advance, but on ensuring the Highborn will get where they are going. The Autumn Hammers split into three cohorts, supporting the 'Pillar and the 'Storm and making certain that the ''scions'' cannot encircle their comrades and strike at their rear.

As battle is joined, thousands of orc throats give voice to a savage cry; the names of the fallen. Firesong, Irontide, Bloodcrow, Ashborn, Redhand, Skywise, Bleakshield, and Gaterender. None are forgotten. Many of the Highborn soldiers join in, adding the names of their own fallen heroes to the chant, as they thrust an iron spear into the heart of the Silence Arc.

(Nobody knows it, but just as the Highborn vanguard clashes against the defences at the Tower of the Eagle for the first time, the Quiet Step launch their own final strike against the Empty Hands in neighbouring Miaren. When the last of the scions assailing Rhonwen's Fall is destroyed, a shudder of unseen power runs through the remaining Silence Arc, strengthening them, restoring them, bolstering their will to fight. They are the last army of scions left in the Empire, and the entire focus of Cold Sun, its terrible remorseless gaze, falls upon them.)

They fight like demons, mortals and ''scions'' alike. As the battle is joined, a blue-green radiance kindles inside the ruined Tower of the Eagle and washes out across the battlefield. Anyone who falls beneath the weapons of their foe will find no tomb, no rest in the grand ossuary of the [[Illarawm]]. As the heart beats its last, each body bursts into unnatural flame, consumed in an instant, leaving only ashes behind. As each scion falls, the light within the tower becomes imperceptibly stronger, brighter, harsher. By the time anyone realises that there is something wrong, they are committed – it is too late to pull back. Two thousand scions die and burn, but they do not falter. They give no thought to their self, only to the strategy of their master. Two hundred Imperial heroes fall, too far from healing touch or the succour of their allies. Each orc who is lost, their one life given to save the people of Wintermark, is marked by the heralds of Janon, who add their name to the battle-hymn as the fighting presses closer and closer to the cursed tower.

And then they are through the defences, and fighting up the hill. The army of the Silence Arc is falling apart but they do not, will not, can not stop fighting. A terrible roaring noise comes from within the tower, and a column of blue-green flame erupts toward the heavens, brighter than the sun at noon, visible as far south as [[Tassato]], as far east as [[Astolat#Laroc|Laroc]]. A terrible, discordant, indescribable roar, louder than thunder, splits the air and the tired remnants of the Tower of the Eagle collapse, pulled inwards and burned to nothing in the space of three heartbeats.

The fire falls back down, sucked into the heart of the construction the channellers have built within the regio. A gate of shining mithril and aquamarine crystal, carved with runes and sigils inlaid with ilium. Twenty feet tall, twenty feet wide, it marks a space within which can be seen a light so potent it is impossible to look at directly, but there is movement within. Even as the Imperial heroes press closer, the Grand Archon of the Silence Arc, the last Grand Archon still in the Empire, gives voice to a terrible cry of their own raising their arms... and a dozen fresh ''scions'' of the Cold Sun step through the gate, out of whatever chamber lies on the other side, onto Imperial soil. Despite the [[alignment#enmity|wards]] that lie across the Empire thanks to the power of the [[Imperial Conclave]], the Silence Arc have torn open this regio, in the wilds of Hahnmark, to allow their fellows to cross from the realm of Day to continue the invasion of the Empire. Thousands of them, ready to continue their master's crazed plan to bring oblivion to the whole of creation.

But it's too late. The Silence Arc have taken too long, and underestimated the Imperial armies ranged against them. The Grand Archon falls, peppered with arrows, as do the channellers arranged in a tight circle around the gate. Their magic is clearly not fully woven, not properly anchored to the structure they have built.

As the ''scions'' fall, the light in the gateway flickers and cracks, shattering impossibly into pieces that explode outwards like the glass from a broken window. The ''scions'' still fighting to defend the regio absorb the brunt of the catastrophically disrupted magic, torn to shred and blasted to ash in a second. A hundred Imperial soldiers – Highborn and Imperial Orc alike – are caught in the backlash, half of them killed instantly, the rest marked with the terrible touch of Cold Sun. Many more are stunned, temporarily blinded and deafened, hurled to the ground as the magic unravels, expands outward... and then is sucked back into the space within the gate taking the remains of the fallen with it.

The gate itself is left as ruined as the tower that stood around it – two columns of twisted crystal are all that remains, broken off less than ten feet from the ground. There is no sign of the rest of the structure. Between the two pillars, though, the blue-green radiance persists, a steady, terrible light that spills out. Where it touches the living, it leaves terrible burns, melting skin and flesh, twisting bones, burning anyone who gets too close. The surviving soldiers retreat back, and those who are not focused on the matter of getting away from the corrosive light marvel at the fact that not a single ''scion'' seems to have survived the battle at the Tower of the Eagle. A couple of warbands that were elsewhere when the tower fell, might endure, perhaps, but the vast majority of the ''scions'' are no more, blasted to ashes by their own collapsing gateway.

The soldiers don't know it yet, as they count the cost of this terrible battle, but the destruction of the Silence Arc marks the end of the Cold Sun incursion. There are still warbands here and there, remnants of other armies or of those groups that came across in the initial flurry when the [[Shining like fire|gates of Day were thrown open]], but they are few and far between, and getting rarer. Hunted. On the run, at the mercy of the heroes who will not let them regroup, who will not risk the Cold Sun rising again, not while there are Imperial champions to oppose it.

==Coda==
The Empire has been scarred. The marks of Cold Sun persist across Imperial territories where they fought, and it will likely be generations before they fade – if they ever do. Thousands have died, both in the initial attacks and in the seasons of fighting waged across almost every Imperial nation. Entire settlements have been annihilated, leaving ashen ruins or rings of warped glass behind as sole markers of where they once stood. But for now, at least, the threat is ended. Except...

Where the Tower of the Eagle stood, two broken pillars of warped and blasted crystal remain, twenty feet apart. The illumination that burns between the two columns is steady, unblinking, and irresistible. There's no way to approach the regio. Living beings who get too close, get within a quarter mile or so of the blasted hill, burn. Those who test the edges begin to die, and only immediate aid helps them avoid being burnt to ashes. The gate that lies at the heart of the regio is closed, help shut by the declaration of the Conclave. But if the vigil of Imperial magicians ever falters – if for whatever reason they consider Cold Sun no longer an enemy of the Empire for whatever reason – then the force that keeps this portal closed will falter. And then... Well. The Empire has seen what Cold Sun and its ''scions'' are capable of.

==Game Information : Cold Sun==
The region of Kronemark has gained the ''Sungate'' quality representing the magical disaster constructed where the Tower of the Eagle once stood. The [[steading|steadings]] that made up Rhonwen's Fall have been destroyed, and much of the ancient artwork found there damaged or ruined by the ''scions''.

The regio once marked by the Tower of the Eagle has been permanently altered. While Cold Sun is under the [[alignment#enmity|enmity]] of the [[Imperial Conclave]] it is quiescent. Should that enmity be relaxed to [[alignment#Neutrality|neutrality]] or [[Alignment#Amity|amity]], the eternal would be able to send at least one army of ''scions'' through, perhaps more depending on how long the enmity were relaxed for. Dismantling the gate at the Tower of the Eagle is currently impossible; the regio will quickly kill any living being that gets too close.

There is also an unsettling concern that this is only the regio the Empire ''knows'' about. A ''lot'' of [[mithril]] and [[ilium]] fell into the hands of the ''scions'' during the first months of the incursion and it is possible that similar nascent gateways may have been established in out-of-the-way places. Almost certainly not on the same scale as that in Hahnmark - a pillar of fire reaching to the sky would be hard to miss - but a potential threat should the Conclave decide to remove enmity from the eternal... or should enemies of the Empire find a way to force one open in spite of the Conclave.

None of the [[military unit|military units]] supporting the fight against Cold Sun in Hahnmark or Miaren [[386YE_Summer_Solstice_interlude#Imperial_Guerdon|received shares]] of the [[Military_unit#Imperial_Guerdon|Imperial Guerdon]].

==Participation: Miaren and Hahnmark==
If your [[military unit]] was assigned to support the Quiet Step, you may have been present at the Battle of Rhonwen's Fall. If you wish you may email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot] with your CID before the 19<sup>th</sup> of July and ask for a lingering traumatic wound to be included in your pack. This will represent either lasting damage to sight or hearing, or injuries inflicted by the unravelling Day magic. Be aware that while it will be treatable, if this wound is not healed by the end of the event the effects of some of these injuries might prove fatal.

If your [[military unit]] was assigned to support one of the Imperial armies fighting Cold Sun in Hahnmark this season (Summer Storm, Autumn Hammers, Granite Pillar), or the Beacons of Hahnmark, you may have been present at the Battle of the Tower of the Eagle. When the gate constructed by the Silence Arc was disrupted, the energies unleashed hammered everyone nearby. If you wish you may email [mailto:plot@profounddecisions.co.uk plot] with your CID before the 19<sup>th</sup> of July and ask for a lingering traumatic wound to be included in your pack. This will represent either injuries inflicted by the unravelling Day magic or damage to your senses from the light and noise involved. While it will be treatable, if it is not healed by the end of the event the effects of these injuries may well prove fatal.

In addition, a player whose [[military unit]] specifically [[Military_unit#Support_Army|supported]] the Summer Storm may have come into contact with the small number of heralds of [[Janon]] who fight with the army. If you wish, you may experience a [[roleplaying effect]]: ''The memory of friends and family who have fallen in battle intrudes on your thought, and you feel driven to ensure they are never forgotten. It is easy to be angered by anyone who seems to be diminishing the grief you feel, and easy to lash out physically at such individuals or institutions.'' If you choose to embrace this roleplaying effect, and have the [[Heroic skills#Hero|Hero]] skill, then at any time during the Summer Solstice you can gain a single temporary hero point, provided you engage in appropriate roleplaying showing how you channel your sorrow into a burst of rage or fury. You cannot use this ability if you are [[Calls#WEAKNESS|weakened]] or [[Combat#Dying|dying]]. Once expended the hero point is gone, and it fades naturally by the end of the Summer Solstice.
<div style="float:right; width: 300px; clear: left;">{{CaptionedImage|file=Cold Sun Art.jpg|align=left|width=300}}</div>

==Conjunctions==
Three opportunities exist to confront the remaining ''scions'' of Cold Sun during the Summer Solstice, using the [[Sentinel Gate]].
===Fading Words (Hahnmark)===
* '''A force of ''scions'' are threatening Wood Heath'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The thane of Dunhearth Hall is responsible for stopping the ''scions'''''
Last season a force of ''scions'' were able to channel the [[Day_magic#Force|force]] of [[Storm_Shaman#Whitelake_and_the_Storm_Pass|Storm Pass]] above [[Skarsind#Pakaanan's_Pass|Pakaanan's Pass]], Skarsind. A force of Imperial Orcs, supported by heroes from across the Empire, met them through the Sentinel Gate but were forced to withdraw. The ''scions'' unleashed the force on Whitelake, severely damaging the structure and then using the cover created to move south. Now they have been found, attempting the same thing on one of the peaks in the north-east of [[Hahnmark#Wood Heath|Wood Heath]], Hahnmark.

If the ''scions'' are able to unleash something similar to what they managed in Skarsind then it would cause a disaster across the region. Where Pakaanan's Pass has few settlements - most of the Imperial Orcs preferring the other regions of Skarsind - Wood Heath is one of the more densely settled regions in Hahnmark. The burgeoning town of [[Hahnmark#New_Dunhall|New Dunhall]], along with the many structures around it, would suffer widespread damage. There are many commissions at risk: [[Collector_of_Prosperity's_Boon#Autumn.27s_Boon|Autumn's Boon]]; [[Keeper_of_the_Crystal_Vale#Vale.27s_Might|Vale's Might]]l; [[Fallsheart_Guardian#Fallsheart_Cave|Fallsheart Cave]]; [[Guardian_of_Dunfrith#Dunfirth|Dunfirth]]; and the [[Herbalist_of_the_Hearth#The_Valley_of_Pride|Valley of Pride]]; as such the civil service have judged that the citizen responsible for this conjunction is the thane of Dunhearth Hall. It is up to '''Tobrytan Dunning''' to ensure that the ''scions'' do not complete their ritual.

===A Message Sent (Redoubt)===
* '''A force of ''scions'' are advancing on the Tower of Light and Shadow'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Penumbral Watcher'' is responsible for stopping the ''scions'''''
During the [[To_the_last_syllable#Choices|Autumn Equinox 385YE]] a force of ''scions'' marched on the [[Brilliant Star]]. When part of the garrison of the Court of the White Fountain arrived at the mithril mine they discovered it had seen a fundamental change to the nature of the mine, but no clue as to where the heralds of Cold Sun had gone with the mithril they had claimed. Some of them journeyed to Hahnmark to support the Silence Arc in their failed attempt at claiming the [[#Tower_of_the_Eagle|Tower of the Eagle]]. The rest were assumed to have been killed or moved to support one of the other armies that has since been destroyed. The ''scions'' managed to avoid notice as they patiently waited for their chance to strike at the [[Redoubt#Tower_of_Light_and_Shadow|Tower of Light and Shadow]].

The ''scions'' are on the move; advancing on the Tower of Light and Shadow and the force is expected to arrive a few days after the summit. If they are not stopped then they will unleash something similarly dangerous to what was done to the Brilliant Star, fundamentally changing the nature of the Tower. Given that this represents a direct threat to the Tower of Light and Shadow it is the responsibility of the [[Penumbral Watcher]], '''Izora Highwind''', to stop the ''scions''.

===Pale Shadows (Miekarova)===
* '''A force of ''scions'' are advancing on the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun'''
* '''This skirmish is a [[Accessibility#Combat_Highly_Likely|combat highly likely]] encounter'''
* '''The ''Master of Ice and Darkness'' is responsible for stopping the ''scions'''''
Shortly before the Spring Equinox the Blade of Skies were [[Eclipse#Game_Information:_Blade_of_Skies|broken]] by the combined wrath of the Iron Helms, Northern Eagle, and the Quiet Step. Only scattered remnants of ''scions'' remained; most were hunted down by the soldiers, some were left to the schlacta and wardens to deal with, but a few remained. The largest group of which travelled north into Miekarova. Towards the [[Master_of_Ice_and_Darkness#The_Icy_Crag_of_the_Eternal_Sun|Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun]]. There is uncertainty among the cabalists who discuss the matter; what could the ''scions'' possibly hope to gain? The force is too small to threaten the college of magic, especially if the heralds of the [[Jaheris|King of the Forest of Arden]] help defend it.

The answer comes shortly before the summit: the ''scions'' - invested as they are with the same potency as the Blade of Skies - will break the high hill that overlooks Volchitrava and cause significant damage to the Icy Crag. Given that this is a direct threat to the Icy Crag of the Eternal Sun it is the responsibility of the [[Master of Ice and Darkness]], '''Ceinwen Eternal''', to stop the ''scions''. On hearing of the threat [[Jaheris|Silverbrow]] dispatched one of his swift messengers to deliver a small package of aid to the Master, in his capacity as patron of the college. ('''OOC Note:''' The Master will find a number of [[Vis#Golden Apples|golden apples]], a couple of potions, and a ribbon for a [[:Category:Rods|rod]] in their pack)

==Further Reading==
* [[Cold Sun]]
* [[Eclipse]] - 386YE Spring Winds of War
* [[Things that burn]] - Winter 385YE Wind of War
* [[To the last syllable]] - Autumn 385YE Wind of Fortune
* [[Ruin#What_follows_in_shadow_.28Conjunction.29|Ruin]] - Summer 385YE Wind of Fortune

386YE Spring Equinox Synod judgements

2024-06-23T11:30:28Z

Rosemary: /* Judgement 78 */

[[Category: Synod]] [[Category:Synod Results]] [[Category: Synod Judgements]] [[Category: 386YE Spring]]
{{Stub}}
==Overview==
During the Spring Equinox 386YE Summit, the [[Imperial Synod]] raised TBC [[judgement|judgements]].

==Statement of Principle==

==Mandate==
===Judgement 5===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Bloodcrow Vassa
* '''Judgement:''' Thrace laid the foundation for the Imperial Orcs nation, but died before he ever saw his people build on his legacy and inspiration. We send Viviane Barossa de Coeurdefer with a dose of true liao to consecrate the Legion's Rookery in Skarsind in the name of Ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1992-32); Margin of 1960
* '''Enacted.''' Creates a true consecration of Ambition at Legion's Rookery in Skarsind. As detailed in the [[The_Ambition_of_Thrace#Building_a_Nation_(Skarsind)|The Ambition of Thrace]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 49===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Lepidina
* '''Judgement:''' We welcome dialogue with the Apulians to further our collective understanding of the Way, and lift each other up in virtue. We send Lepidina with 25 doses of liao to encourage those Urizen magicians who have decided to stay to share the best of Urizen culture with the League. Let us share our values with them and make Apulian a city founded on philosophy, learning and a vision for a better future.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (238-22); Margin of 216
* '''Enacted.''' This mandate will have a slow but inexorable effect on the culture of Apulian, shaping the future of the newest City of [[the League]]. As detailed in the [[Blue_flowers_in_the_snow#Outreach|Blue flowers in the snow]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 52===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Morwenna Witheredrose
* '''Judgement:''' For our Empire to offer sanctuary only to those we find convenient is to pretend at compassion while concealing the heart of a coward. We send Brynmor Rootround with 50 doses of liao to encourage Navarr to reach out to all who call Peytaht their home, swearing to protect orc and human alike regardless of their beliefs.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (190-154); Margin of 36
* '''Not Enacted:''' This mandate was in competition with Judgement 56.
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 56|Judgement 56]]

===Judgement 56===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Brynn Tendfallen
* '''Judgement:''' We have lived alongside the Great Forest Orcs and we consider them family. We will continue to work with them while the Navarr still live and breathe and we send Brynmor Rootround with 50 doses of liao to ask Navarr to look to their Loyalty and swear an oath to protect the Great Forest Orcs as though they were our family. Strength to the Navarr, Strength to the Great Forest Orcs
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (252-58); Margin of 194
* '''Enacted.''' The fears of the Great Forest Orcs have been soothed. Those who have established steadings in Hercynia and Miaren will be reassured that they can continue to build lives alongside the Navarr. Some of those who still live in Therunin will remain behind, even as most of them return to the Heart of Peytaht, the bonds of friendship strengthened. As detailed in the [[Little_mercy#Reassurance|Little mercy]] wind of fortune
* '''Notes:''' See [[#Judgement 56|Judgement 56]] and [[#Judgement 124|Judgement 124]]

===Judgement 70===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Halwyn Splitroot
* '''Judgement:''' Gerallt Brackensong was an inspiration to all those who take Pride in songs and stories that exalt their nation. We send Brodi Brackensong with a dose of true liao to consecrate a school at First Voice Glade in Miaren in the name of Pride.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (898-202); Margin of 696
* '''Enacted.''' Creates a true consecration of Pride at the ruined [[Dean_of_the_First_Voice_Glade#First_Voice_Glade_(Ruined)|First Voice Glade]] in Miaren. As detailed in the [[The_Pride_of_Gerallt_Brackensong#First_Voice_Glade_(Miaren)|The Pride of Gerallt Brackensong]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 73===
* '''Assembly:''' Navarr
* '''Raised By:''' Oleander Ashwood
* '''Judgement:''' The Empty Hands march on the site of the first binding of thorns, and the birthplace of our nation. We send Oleander Ashwood with 75 doses of liao to ensure that this army doesn't desecrate this site with their presence.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (306-18); Margin of 288
* '''Enacted.''' Encourages the people of Miaren to support the Navarri who support an army against Cold Sun, providing two random herbs to every military unit that supports an army fighting the Empty Hands. As detailed in the [[The_Deer_in_the_Sun#Unnatural_Light_of_Day|The Deer in the Sun]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 74===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Grey Stone
* '''Judgement:''' Good Walder was an inspiration to the prosperous regardless of where his last resting place is found. We send Tom Appleseed with a dose of true liao to consecrate the shrine at Good Walder's Orchard in Mitwold in the name of Prosperity.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (1256-126); Margin of 1130
* '''Enacted.''' Creates a true consecration of Prosperity at [[Keeper_of_the_Orchard#Good_Walder's_Orchard|Good Walder's Orchard]] in Mitwold. As detailed in the [[The_Prosperity_of_Good_Walder#Good_Walder's_Orchard|The Prosperity of Good Walder]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 119===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Friar John of the Mourn
* '''Judgement:''' Know your heart and what commands its devotion above all else. We send Friar John of the Mourn with 25 doses of liao to let everyone in the Mournwold know that the Tusks will always fight to keep them safe.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (166-20); Margin of 146
* '''Enacted.''' The Tusks will gain a bonus equivalent to a thousand additional strength whenever they are fighting in Mournwold. If Mournwold is attacked and the Tusks are not present at the start of the very next season to lead the counter-attack or defence, then the oath will have been broken. As detailed in the [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|I already know you]] wind of fortune.
===Judgement 122===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orcs
* '''Raised By:''' Firesong Kirra
* '''Judgement:''' Pride conveyed by words alone is vain boasting. We send Skywise Gralka with 25 liao to ask the septs of Skarsind to support the Libraary of Worth. Let us come together to find the words and symbols that speak to the worth of the whole Imperial Orc nation.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld with a Greater Majority (68-0); Margin of 146
* '''Enacted.''' This relates to the creation of the [[The_Deer_in_the_Sun#Constructing_the_Folly|Library of Worth]] in [[Skarsind]]. The Imperial Orcs will donate 4 wains of white granite and 8 crowns to support the commission each season for the next year. This will exhaust their capacity to support other important causes; it will be impossible to use a mandate to urge the Imperial Orcs to support another commission or similar project that needed help.

===Judgement 124===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Kellin Embercast
* '''Judgement:''' I use the power of Eyes of Loyalty to send Kellin Embercast with 25 doses of liao to support "''We have lived alongside the Great Forest Orcs and we consider them family. We will continue to work with them while the Navarr still live and breathe and we send Brynmor Rootround with 50 doses of liao to ask Navarr to look to their Loyalty and swear an oath to protect the Great Forest Orcs as though they were our family. Strength to the Navarr, Strength to the Great Forest Orcs''"
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (376-0); Margin of 376
* '''Enacted.''' Supports [[#Judgement 56|Judgement 56]] with the [[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]].

===Judgement 128===
* '''Assembly:''' Imperial Orcs
* '''Raised By:''' Stiv
* '''Judgement:''' All that is worthwhile is shared with those who deserve it. We send Yerende Delk with two liao to ask the sept to provide High Chalcis with herbsheart so that they might prosper. Let us show them our peerless kinship!
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (78-0); Margin of 78
* '''Enacted.''' The Yerende will provide the Gardens of Chalcis with a small supply of herbsheart each season, raising the level of investment in herb gardens by one in Reikos providing every herb garden with one realmsroot each season. As detailed in the [[Standing_in_the_sun#Herbsheart|Standing in the sun]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 133===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Lievevos van Houten van Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' We prepare for malice, but must always thwart malice before it strikes against you. We send Lievevos van Houten van Holberg with 25 liao to Spiral to urge all vigilant citizens to seek out threats and drag them into the light.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (186-0); Margin of 186
* '''Enacted.''' The Vigilant from across the Empire will travel to [[Spiral]] and work with pilgrims there to root out threats. As detailed in the [[Knocking_on_every_door#Shine_a_Light|Knocking on every door]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 151===
* '''Assembly:''' Varuhskan
* '''Raised By:''' Anatolij Paukov Zorkin
* '''Judgement:''' Strive for excellence in that of which you are proud! We send Anatolij Paukov Zorkin with 50 doses of liao to ask Varushkans to fund the Great Hall of Fabric Arts. Let no coin go unspent.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (246-0); Margin of 246
* '''Enacted.''' The people of Varuhska will provide 20 wains of white granite and 40 crowns each season to the Great Hall of Fabric Arts in [[Karov]]. As detailed in the [[The_Deer_in_the_Sun#Constructing_The_Folly_2|The Deer in the Sun]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 156===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Larkin Otterways
* '''Judgement:''' Know your heart and what commands its devotion above all else. We send Bryce the Hare with 25 doses of liao to let everyone in Mitwold know that the Drakes will always fight to keep them safe.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (130-10); Margin of 120
* '''Enacted.''' The Drakes will gain a bonus equivalent to a thousand additional strength whenever they are fighting in Mitwold. If Mitwold is attacked and the Drakes are not present at the start of the very next season to lead the counter-attack or defence, then the oath will have been broken. As detailed in the [[I_already_know_you#Reeds,_Drakes,_Tusks,_Bounders|I already know you]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 165===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sister Meredith
* '''Judgement:''' Know your heart and what commands its devotion above all else. We send Henry Birchsmith with 25 doses of liao to let everyone in Upwold know that the Bounders will always call Upwold home, and they will never abandon it.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (140-10); Margin of 130
* '''Not Enacted:''' No liao provided 

===Judgement 185===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' A spark, from family, hearth, and pyre, carried by voice on wind to kohan's fire! Arise, Burning Falcon, and blaze across the sky like a comet bright as the sun-at-night! We send Aracelis i Erigo with 50 wains of mithril and 50 doses of liao to bring everburning flames from <u>Madruga</u>, Segura, Kahraman, and <u>Feroz</u>, to inspire our soldiers with a burning passion like none ever seen before!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (94-0); Margin of 94
* '''Enacted.''' Over the next season, and with the aid of [[Janon]], the quality of the [[Burning Falcon]] will change from Glorious to True Conviction. As detailed in the [[Various_storms_and_saints#Falcons_Ever_Brighter|Various storms and saints]] wind of fortune.

===Judgement 195===
* '''Assembly:''' Freeborn
* '''Raised By:''' Val
* '''Judgement:''' A spark, from family, hearth, and pyre, carried by voice on wind to kohan's fire! Arise, Burning Falcon, and blaze across the sky like a comet bright as the sun-at-night! We send Luca i Taziel i Riqueza with 50 wains of mithril and 50 doses of liao to bring everburning flames from Madruga, Segura, Kahraman, and <u>Feroz</u>, to inspire our soldiers with a burning passion like none ever seen before!
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (0-32)

===Judgement 200===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Vesna Borkovna Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' Pride conveyed by words alone is vain boasting. We send Skywise Gralka with 25 liao to ask the septs of Skarsind to support the Library of Worth. Let us come together to find the words and symbols that speak to the worth of the whole Imperial Orc nation
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (7-0); Margin of 7
* '''Not Enacted.''' It was not possible to raise this mandate in any [[Assembly]] other than the National Assembly of the Imperial Orcs. As detailed in the [[The_Deer_in_the_Sun#Constructing_the_Folly|The Deer in the Sun]] wind of fortune.

==Revocation==
The following judgements of [[revocation]] were raised during the summit.
===Judgement 129===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Aamu, Weir Whispering Wren
* '''Judgement:''' The Senators of Wintermark are meant to represent the needs of their people, ALL of their people. Senator Hengest Dunn for Hahnmark held the nation at spear point to get a member of his hall elected as General. Due to this, in failing to represent all of his constituents, we revoke Hengest Dunn as Senator for Hahnmark
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (220-46); Margin of 174

===Judgement 161===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawn
* '''Raised By:''' Alistair
* '''Judgement:''' For lack of Vigilance in her dealings in the Barrens and a lack of Pride in these ambitions. We are calling for this revocation against Lady Amicia of the Semmerlak so that she has the time to reflect on the virtue of her actions and motivations to prove herself worthy of holding a position of high office.
* '''Outcome:''' Not upheld (54-290)

==Challenge==
The following judgement of [[challenge]] was raised during the summit
===Judgement 84===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Galene Netherwatch
* '''Judgement:''' We call Valeria, Custodian of the Claw to a Virtuous Challenge. Prosperity requires no mana left unspent, yet Valeria has not attended Anvil in some seasons, leaving the mana in the sinecure stagnant.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (204-0)
* '''Note:''' The title of [[Custodian of the Claw]] will be available to [[Challenge#Outcome|appoint]] at the Summer Solstice 386YE

==Inquisition==
The following judgements of [[inquisition]] were raised during the summit.
===Judgement 32===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I call Veikko Bondforger to inquisition at Sigehold Hall, Saturday 16:00. Let them demonstrate their efforts to rebuild their chains of loyalty and the courage to follow through
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (148-0)

===Judgement 33===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' I, Ingrid Sigeing, call Shacklebreaker Thanmir Hrafnar to inquisition, to examine his role in the creation of the Liberty Pact.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (30-0)

===Judgement 39===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadqigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' I call Jarrigk Orzel to inquisition, as Inquisitor of Wisom, over his role in the needless deaths of the Vendarri sept. At 1pm at the Varuhskan National Hearth, we shall see what Wisdom and what Virtue informed the Consul's decisions. Right of Witness encouraged.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (972-0)

===Judgement 42===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement:''' When a senator proposes a motion they must be clear that they understand, and are willing to pay, the costs involved in that decision. Thus, we call Myshki Marishka Letuchaya, Senator of Karov, to inquisition. We look forward to an explanation of their ambitions. The inquisition will take place on Saturday of the Spring Summit 386YE. At 11:30am in the Varuhskan Hearth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (810-52); Margin of 758

===Judgement 51===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sofonisba Amilcara di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' Raine Tealeaf of Urizen has worked over the past year to undermine the reckoning between Urizen and the League, and to see Spiral returned to Urizen by fair means or foul. They have now abandoned that campaign. I call Raine Tealeaf to inquisition to discuss their pride in their past, their loyalty to their home, and their ambitions for the future; and to reckon up what they are owed and see that debt settled. Saturday of this summit, 6pm, Crimson Reaper Garrison. All welcome, especially those of Urizen and the League.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (770-0)

===Judgement 53===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Morwenna Witheredrose
* '''Judgement:''' I have already inquisited Fintan Nighthaven. The powers of inquisition do not let me jump straight to a judgement of sanction. Please vote for this judgement to see the result of that inquisition held at 11:30pm on the Saturday of last summit.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (568-266); Margin of 302

===Judgement 78===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka
* '''Judgement:''' Despise the weakness that comes from pettiness and lack of vision! We call to inquisition Alexios of Ember's Wake, to weigh their ambition in passing a declaration in Conclave telling all the realms that without the ritual Dripping Echoes of the Fen, empowered by Sadogua, the Empire is undefended: 6pm Saturday in The Shade at the top of Urizen (facing Varushka). All priests of Ambition are encouraged to attend.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (180-32); Margin of 148

===Judgement 80===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement:''' When Good Walder came upon a village he was pleased by those who shared their own good fortune with him in return for labour. Had they taken the food and drink from another village he would have rightly chastised them as thieves. The virtue fund exists to reward the deeds of those found worthy. It is not a coinpurse to draw on in advance of your actions. Using it as a fund to construct buildings denies the virtuous of their just rewards. In the past three years Pontus Figures has taken over 101 thrones to support buildings that should have been funded by other means. We call him to inquisition to explain these actions, and to give an accounting of where this money has gone. The inquisition will take place on Saturday of the Spring Summit 386. At 3pm in House de Gavaine.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (672-12); Margin of 660

===Judgement 83===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sam Wychelm
* '''Judgement:''' Brother Harvest is a dangerous idolator and sorcerer and needs to be put down before he can do further harm! I elect Lenarius Ankarien, the Imperial Inquisitor, to delve into his actions and allies.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (146-0)

===Judgement 159===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Brother Geoffrey Orchard
* '''Judgement:''' Come summer we will have some idea of who, if anyone, has take up the offers of Siakha and the effect that has had. Therefore I call Ibiss Briarheart, Archmage of Spring, to inquisition at 2:30pm, Saturday, Summer 386, Boundaryfolk Camp, Marches. Let us discuss how Siakha and other eternals seek undue influence over the Empire, to the detriment of virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (116-0)

===Judgement 163===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' The Fool of Glory
* '''Judgement:''' Lady Amicia of the Semmerlak, I call you to inquisition to discuss the matter of Dho'uala, the sovereign that dwells in the waters of the Semmerlak. 5:30pm, Saturday, Summer Solstice. Location to be agreed up on likely weather dependent.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (162-10); Margin of 152

===Judgement 172===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Allula du Besté
* '''Judgement:''' Lord Caine of House Vortekar, I call an inquisition on your pride. You sacrificed yours and your houses' pride and advocacy of the Conclave for the sake of a 4 thrones bribe. Where is Lord Caine's pride and what are his intentions for the good of the house? What stock should we take in our own pride if the heads of our house can be swayed with a few coppers. To take place at House Vortekar, next summit, Saturday 2pm.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (100-20); Margin of 80

===Judgement 176===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Ardens of the Wanderer
* '''Judgement:''' The House of the Wanderer invites Elagabala, sword scholar and proxy Grandmaster of the Sevenfold Path, to inquisition next summit to discuss the future of the order. Elegabala has been informed and consents to the inquisition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (780-0)

===Judgement 183===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' When someone's soul holds the testimony Virtuous Archmage, then this must be verified. I call to inquisition Ematius Ankarien, Archmage of Winter, at a time and place to be arranged next summit as his duties demand. Show us the arete you bring to the role.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (134-0)

===Judgement 194===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' I call to inquisition the outgoing High Bard, Protectorate Rile, to examine what they have encouraged in the music and culture in the Empire, and their outgoing collection of "Freedom" poetry. Time and place to be arranged, Summer Solstice 386YE.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (134-10); Margin of 124

===Judgement 204===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' As Imperial Inquisitor I call Finna i Fijadoz to inquisition at the Summer summit, to answer accusations of abuse of priestly powers.
* '''Outcome:''' Automatically Upheld

===Judgement 205===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Heilyn Bronwen's Rest
* '''Judgement:''' As Basilisk of the Bourse, I call Arlais Silent Tide to inquisition at 12:30 on Saturday of the Summer summit at the Silent Tide camp.
* '''Outcome:''' Automatically Upheld

===Judgement 206===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Rhubarb Ironwood
* '''Judgement:''' The Arcane Inquisitor calls Edmundo, Archmage of Autumn, to examine his career, interactions and deals with eternals, and virtuous or unvirtuous conduct. If there are questions one wishes to submit, please attend. 4pm, Saturday. Hogsgrove Coppice Awning (or appropriate).
* '''Outcome:''' Automatically Upheld

===Judgement 208===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Sam Wychelm
* '''Judgement:''' I call Hugh Farrier to an inquisition at the Marchers at Saturday at Equinox. In regard to his intent to fund a territory curse on Urizen land. It will take into note his position as Champion of Prosperity and thrice-celebrated hero of Virtue by the Synod.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (250-0)

==Sanction==
The following judgements of [[sanction]] were raised during the summit.
===Judgement 15===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Lenarius Ankarien
* '''Judgement:''' With regards to the Inquisition of Cassia Silkweaver, I find that their inquisition of Sagua i'Ezmara in Spring 385 was greatly flawed. Through inexperience and a desire to be thorough, Cassia collected a great deal of evidence, but put to much credence on hearsay and opinion, allowing herself to be swayed by arguments with little weight or significance. This lead to an unwarranted castigation of the then Master of the Koboldi, and ultimately Sagua losing their position. This would have been an abuse of priestly powers was I not convinced that Cassia's intentions were virtuous, even if the execution was lacking. As penance, Cassia should not undertake any further inquisitions without further consulting a Virtue Inquisitor
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (678-138); Margin of 540

===Judgement 71===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Telyn Stormtree
* '''Judgement:''' I inquisited Anthemius Netherwatch on the Saturday of the Winter Solstice summit 385YE with regards to his leading of the casting of Bright Eyes Gleam in the Depths. I found no malice in his actions, but a lack of balance in his appreciation of virtues. Too much Pride, not enough Vigilance. Indeed, I would like to call out any who claimed to warn him but did not actually act to stop the ritual. It is you who truly lack Vigilance. Inaction is a choice, just as action is. I have therefore given Anthemius a penance, to speak with Tiberius Stormspire Cascade in the next half-year, on the subject of Vigilance and who to apply it to the use of magic.
* '''Outcome:''' Not Upheld (102-112); Margin of 10

===Judgement 87===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Elisandre de Rondell
* '''Judgement:''' In the matter of the inquisition of Lady Clarice Novarion, we find that the Lady has acted with virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (208-0)

===Judgement 100===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Silas of the Cenotaph
* '''Judgement:''' Cyrus, Daniel, Tirza and Enoch are examples of Active, Virtuous, and efficient priests. Their methodical work to uproot, expose and end those enemies within the Empire whilst ensuring their work never disturb the houses of state from doing their job sets an example to us all. I encourage all to follow their example. Wait not for titles. DO THE VIRTUOUS WORK. Wisdom Questions All. Silas.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (958-10); Margin of 948

===Judgement 105===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kasjay
* '''Judgement:''' Aurum Nightingale has let loyalty guide all of his actions since they have turned up to Anvil. Their great loyalty has helped achieve great things in the Empire and to inspire others. They should continue to act in virtue and look to how they can let ambition drive them to greater virtue.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (896-130); Margin of 766

===Judgement 123===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Kalina Jadwigowna Piosnkowa Prochnost
* '''Judgement:''' On the matter of his role as a key voice in the Senate's decision to declare the Vendarri sept as barbarians, and their subsequent eradication by the Karass sept, I find Jarrigk Orzel's Wisdom insufficient. While he may not lack for other Virtues, I find in him a tendency to rely on assumption and hearsay, rather than proactively seeking relevant and factual information. Had he made the effort to seek out information and not assumed he likely would not have, for example, convinced the Senate through his testimony that declaring the Vendarri barbarians would not be the same as declaring war on them - which it categorically is. This inquisition is not for hindsight. In the moment, he acted on the information he had and I find him un-Wise but not un-Virtuous. Penance: May he carry the Hallowing of the Stormcrow. May he learn from others and seek knowledge to better serve the Empire. In a year, may he return to my hearth and be tested on what he has learned.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (984-10); Margin of 974

===Judgement 134===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Ingrid Sigeing
* '''Judgement:''' I vindicate the virtue of Shacklebreaker Thanmir Hrafnar, who acted with courage against the formidable foe of slavery in his work to form the Liberty Pact. His actions remind us of the heroism of the many acting as one, that a hero is called to great deeds over personal glory, and that the Steinr see the strengths of our fellows and urge them on to heroism.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (158-0)

===Judgement 139===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement:''' Senator Myshki Marishka Letuchaya has a great deal of ambition to protect her people. However, I have great concerns about her position on the exact terms of idolatry. Whilst I do not state that her mandate would have amounted to this crime, I fear that had it passed she would have placed civil servants in danger of engaging in it. As PENANCE I instruct the senator to speak with the varied National Assemblies to understand how other nations viewed her mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (838-144); Margin of 694

===Judgement 140===
* '''Assembly:''' Marcher
* '''Raised By:''' Rhubarb Ironwood
* '''Judgement:''' Inquisiton of Sister Meredith: She has been thoroughly questioned on matters pertaining to her views and career. Her work with the Mourn orcs and the Mournwold are outstanding, her courage admirable. But her journey, despite everything, is not over!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (144-0)

===Judgement 141===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement:''' Pontius Figures certainly demonstrates virtuous ambitions to complete great works. However, his use of the virtue fund raises two areas of deep concern. 1 - His habit of turning rewarding coin into white granite while granting himself a fee of 4 crowns per wain (example). 2 - A fundamental misunderstanding of the <u>purpose</u> of rewarding. As penance he will explore ways to be more clear of his purpose in his judgements and <u>how</u> the rewarding will happen. He will be required to speak with the Virtue Assemblies within the next year to gain their input.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (852-124); Margin of 728

===Judgement 142===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sebastiano
* '''Judgement:''' Pickers Goldleaf is many thing, a citizen who may be considered brash, clumsy, and headstrong. However, we do not find him greatly lacking virtue. There are questions regarding his ambition. He believes he has identified a fundamental flaw within the workings of the Imperial Senate, we challenge him to pursue a solution. As penance he will seek the counsel of ambition priests over the next summit for guidance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (776-44); Margin of 732

===Judgement 152===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Linnette Alighieri
* '''Judgement:''' Lord Bohemond de Rondell, Senator of Astolat, has been inquisited over the matter of recent Dawnish actions in the Barrens. I find he acted following his understanding of virtue. However, his understanding does present weaknesses. For this reason I request the following penance: he shall converse with me and accept guidance over relevant matters over the next 4 seasons. Within this inquisition, a lack of efficient communication between the bodies of state has also been identified, which we shall discuss further as part of his penance.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (234-10); Margin of 224

===Judgement 162===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' The Fool of Glory
* '''Judgement:''' Following the Inquisition of Archavion Wolfbourne as represented by his adjutant and regarding his actions in the Barrens, we gave him a Penance. For one year, he will consult with the National Assembly of Dawn at least once per season, and the Fool of Glory shall accompany him to Military Council as an observer from the Assembly.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (134-26); Margin of 108

===Judgement 164===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Gwendolyn de Vexille
* '''Judgement:''' Aramis du Froste - you were called to inqusition so that you might answer for your actions as Senator for the Barrens and the impact you have had. I understand that you attempted to act in Virtue but find your understanding to be flawed. Still, I deem you worthy of support in rising in Virtue and thus I do not condemn. Rather, I offer penance: For the next <u>3 summits</u> you shall seek my counsel as priest confessor at least <u>once per summit</u>. Together, in consultation with the Troubadors of Dawn, we will work to identify a project which may liberate and uplift those you have failed. You will raise 50T for this project.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (122-94); Margin of 28

===Judgement 168===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Luca i Taziel i Riqueza
* '''Judgement:''' In Winter 384, Khalama i Radh i Guerra and the Sails of the First Flame cast Hallow of the Green World. Prosperity was not at the heart of this ritual, but nor did it have to be. Ambition is a Virtue, and more importantly Ambition was their Virtue. The Inquisitor cannot find fault in the Virtue of their action, and wishes to commend them for the Prosperity shown in their reaction: performing Blessing of New Spring at cost for those taking advantage of the ritual's opportunity. It is all too easy to claim sweet grapes but disown sour, during Inquisition Khalama exhibited the opposite behaviour. When pressed, he was quick to carry blame for the damage wrought, but hesitate to take credit for bounties brought. This does not warrant a Penance, merely an encouragement that if there is a next time, the Coven recognise the fruits of their labour. These rituals will grow both sweet and sour fruit, neither Coven nor Empire can forget that.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (186-0)

===Judgement 180===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I talked with Sarah of the Suns of Couros about the death of Enoch of Felix Watch. Sarah acted with courage throughout and counselled Enoch to improve his courage. This vigilance enabled him to face circumstances with her and others vigilantly that led to eventually to his death. May he pass swiftly through the labyrinth.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (132-0)

===Judgement 181===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Maarit Suvidottir
* '''Judgement:''' I inquisited Veikko Bondforger and I am satisfied by the steps he has taken to mend his bonds. He has paid weregild, contributed his loyalty to projects of the Mark. More than that he has had the courage to have hard conversations with the Assembly of Loyalty, his nation, and his friends. He has looked into the dark of his soul and faced this with courage to improve himself and rebuild his bonds.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (122-0)

===Judgement 192===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum
* '''Judgement:''' Following my inquisition of Enchanter Kym of the Twisted Rose, I find that his motivations were entirely virtuous, with great loyalty and ambition for the future of the Barrens. However he took on Autumn magic approach to a Winter magic problem - and now he has passed into the Labyrinth. This was a Conclave problem brought to the Synod - the bridge of the Sevenfold Path goes both ways!
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (562-18); Margin of 544

===Judgement 196===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka
* '''Judgement:''' Alexios said they first thought of raising the declaration after hearing of Sadogua's anger, expressing some influence on his will. They were also under the impression that the ritual had failed in Kallavesa. They believed Brat Umbral Path that Dropping Echoes of the Fen would never work again - since proved untrue. Alexios acknowledges now that claiming the Empire was undefended was poorly worded. They say their actions were motivated by loyalty to the Empire. Their declaration was carelessly worded, based on falsehoods, and showed a lack of ambition by not seeking other ways to defend the Empire. Yet they do acknowledge that no eternal can be trusted. And they have committed create an arcane projection to add to the Empire's defences. Their penance tis to meet with Lutobor as a priest of ambition every summit for a year, to report on progress in defending the Empire with ambition.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (90-20); Margin of 70

===Judgement 197===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Morwenna Witheredrose
* '''Judgement:''' Last summit Fintan Nighthaven manifested the four word testimony "True Icon of Peace". As Inquisitor of the Way I immediately called him to an "informal" inquisition that evening. The inquisition was conducted under the light of the shield Bawnwatch, and its allowing drove me to rout whatever corruption there might have been in Fintans spirit. I found none. He has acted with utmost vigilance, routing the risk of military threats from Axos while recovering a relic of the faith. He did so without shedding a single drop of blood, and in the process secured our Empire valuable information about non imperial auras. His testimony reflects this magnificent feat. Discounting its miraculous nature simply because its wording makes us squeamish would only denigrate his success.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (838-58); Margin of 780

==Recognition==
The following judgements of [[recognition]] were raised during the summit.
===Judgement 11===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Rafael Barossa d'Apulian
* '''Judgement:''' We recognise Amika Acciai, sixth child of the House of Steel, as an Exemplar of Ambition. He reached out to Rafael Barossa d'Apulian, seeking help with his goal to "engulf Asavea in a firestorm of change". ''Pilgrimage:''Amika travelled to the Temple of the Way in Nemoria and studied there under Sumaash and Imperial priests. ''Benevolence:'' Amika turned his family estate into a safe haven for followers of the Way fleeing persecution by the Plenum. ''Salvation:'' Amika freed his family's slaves and taught them the Way. These pilgrims infiltrated other estates and spread the Way to the slaves there. Amika led the attack on the Tarquinius family estate, killing the oppressors there and giving his life for the cause. ''Inspiration:'' Amika's death inspired his cousin Alberto, who led the attack on the city of Marlien that freed all the slaves there, and started the wave of unrest that is currently crashing across Asavea.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (320-10); Margin of 310
* '''Notes:''' The recognition of Amika Acciai will be escalated to the General Assembly for evaluation at the Summer Solstice.

===Judgement 19===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Eevi of the Gadrai
* '''Judgement:''' Dogri Thulebane is an Exemplar of Loyalty. The signs are clear. ''Inspiration:'' Dogri's words inspired more than 200 fighters to stand with him in defence of Crow's Keep and Skarsind. in 385YE Spring, Dogri's story was added to Wintermark's Chronicle of Heroism as a national inspiration. ''Benevolence:'' Dogri opened Crow's Keep to all Skarsind winterfolk who did not want to leave. When the battle of Crow's Keep was lost, he ordered his followers to escape with their lives rather than lead them to their death. ''Miracle:'' Upon his death, a spontaneous aura of Loyalty manifested on the amulet he was wearing with no intervention from practitioners of Liao ceremonies. ''Legacy:'' Crow's Ridge is the region where Crow's Keep is found. After Dogri's stand, Crow's Ridge was taken by the Thule but the scars of Thulebane remain. Crow's Ridge is Dogri's legacy and for that legacy we have been granted an opportunity in 385YE Sumer to create an inspirational tomb for him, in his final resting place; the Sovevann, Kallavesa with true liao
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (473-36); Margin of 437
* '''Notes:''' The recognition of Dogri Thulebane will be escalated to the General Assembly for evaluation at the Summer Solstice.

==Writ of Consecration==
The following [[writ of Consecration|Writs of Consecration]] were requested during the summit.
===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Lady Kaywenn de Orzel
* '''Judgement:''' It is the will of the Pride Assembly that a writ of consecration for an inspirational tomb, for the exemplar of Pride Ozren de Orzel, be raised to inspire pilgrims to celebrate the Pride within themselves and the Empire
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (264-20); Margin of 244

===Judgement 106===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Serrusto Caeli Rezia di Tassato
* '''Judgement:''' The Assembly of Ambition seeks to consecrate the Towers of Dusk to Ambition, as an effort to restructure them after the Druj occupation, using a dose of true liao.
* '''Outcome:''' {{GM}} (326-16); Margin of 310

==Appointment==
At the Summit, the following [[appointment|appointments]] were proposed by the Assemblies of the Synod. You can find the names of citizens who currently hold Imperial titles in the Synod [[Current Imperial titles|here]].
===Judgement 1===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Viviane Barossa de Coeurdefer''' was appointed with 142 votes. Eska Harakkadottir received 118 votes. Ser Purslane Artorious received 26 votes.

===Judgement 2===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Cardinal of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Gaelen Embercast''' was appointed with 174 votes. Fintan Nighthaven received 30 votes.

===Judgement 3===
* '''Assembly:''' Ambition
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Ambition]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Eldrid Vestardottir''' was appointed with 124 votes. Lady Nimue de Rondell received 28 votes. Velika Prochnost received 10 votes.

===Judgement 17===
* '''Assembly:''' Loyalty
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue Inquisitor of Loyalty]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Kellin Embercast''' was appointed with 92 votes. Eevi of the Gadrai received 80 votes. Father Edmund received 42 votes. Ser Sable received 10 votes.

===Judgement 20===
* '''Assembly:''' Urizen
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arbiter of the Four Winds]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Athenus of the House of the Wanderer''' was appointed with 68 votes.

===Judgement 23===
* '''Assembly:''' Vigilance
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Vigilance]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Jared of the Sentinel's Tower''' was appointed with 70 votes. Bryce of the Hare received 44 votes. Fenrys Burning Branch received 24 votes. Keelia Scorched Pine received 12 votes. Sylver Waystone Path received 12 votes. Dryn Embercast received 0 votes.

===Judgement 25===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Arcane Inquisitor]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Rhubarb Ironwood''' was appointed with 5 votes. Bryn Tendfallen received 4 votes. Ari of the Scarlet Guard received 0 votes. Brother Geoffrey Orchard received 0 votes. Callista of the Dark Shard received 0 votes. Casimir Pakkanovic Mislova received 0 votes. Clerabela Vicente d'Apulian received 0 votes. Galene Netherwatch received 0 votes. Lutobor Branislavovich Glinka received 0 votes.

===Judgement 26===
* '''Assembly:''' Dawnish
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Voice of the Twin Roses]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Noble Seri of the Twisted Rose''' was appointed with 60 votes. Earl Ailsa Tamerlaine received 30 votes. Hieronyus Dowland received 20 votes.

===Judgement 27===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[High Bard of the Empire]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Malcón i Dyrelnos i Erigo''' was appointed with 5 votes. Tarik of Ashenhall received 3 votes. Burnlin Drumheart received 0 votes. Jymi Handaxe received 0 votes. Kish of the Flame Beneath the Earth received 0 votes. Mercy Summermuse received 0 votes. Sofonisba Amicara di Sarvos received 0 votes.

===Judgement 29===
* '''Assembly:''' Wintermark
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Speaker of the Crows]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Ingrid Sigeing''' was appointed with 220 votes.

===Judgement 30===
* '''Assembly:''' Pride
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Virtue inquisitor|Virtue Inquisitor of Pride]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Olyvar of Esther's Sanctum''' was appointed with 176 votes. Kazimir Syrota Molenav received 10 votes.

===Judgement 57===
* '''Assembly:''' Courage
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Guardian of Britta's Memorial]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Neala Blackhawk''' was appointed with 66 votes.

===Judgement 58===
* '''Assembly:''' Highborn
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Lepidean Librarian]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Hazelelponi of the Shattered Tower''' was appointed with 224 votes.

===Judgement 63===
* '''Assembly:''' Prosperity
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Champion of Prosperity]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Hugh Farrier''' was appointed with 200 votes.

===Judgement 94===
* '''Assembly:''' Nine
* '''Raised By:''' Tribune
* '''Judgement:''' Appointment of the [[Auditor of Senatorial Accountability]]
* '''Outcome:''' '''Vauras 'Prosperity's Forge' Korppitkotka''' was appointed with 6 votes. Algernon Berinore received 2 votes. Jules von Holberg received 0 votes.

==Rewarding==
The following judgements of [[rewarding]] were sought during the summit.
===Judgement 6===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Pontus Figures
* '''Judgement:''' Dialagos has presented the Empire with the chance to construct Prosperous Counting Houses that will increase the income to the virtue fund each season. This provides us an opportunity to invest now for benefits in perpetuity. Each house requires 5 White Granite, 5 Weirwood, and 30 crowns. We propose the virtue fund should take advantage and would ask for funds to acquire the needed resource to construct the house with the highest return at the point sufficient material has been gathered (currently Tassato for 16 crowns/season)> we seek the assemblies approval to purchase 2 wains of weirwood using 10 Thrones and 0 Crowns. Should this pass, further requests will be placed until the full balance of material is acquired. Last summit 2 wains were purchased for this endeavour.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (578-548); Margin of 30
* '''Notes:''' Refers to the counting house project [[Forwards_and_Rewards#Prosperity_and_Posterity|proposed]] by Dialagos of Urizen.

===Judgement 13===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Teleri Thornweaver
* '''Judgement:''' To reward Brodi Brackensong with one dose of true liao to consecrate an inspirational location for Gerallt Brackensong, exemplar of Pride. Actual location to be decided as part of separate mandate.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (630-444); Margin of 186

===Judgement 18===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra
* '''Judgement:''' For his continued work as the Friar of Honour's Rest in aiding the countless ghosts of the Mournwold move on to the next part of their spiritual journey, we reward Friar John of the Mourn 40 thrones. This should allow for the purchase of materials necessary for the construction of the Orchard of the Watch; a memorial for those that died during the liberation of the Mournwold. This will allow the souls to cease lingering, put an end to the territory's haunting, and create a site of remembrance for the survivors of this blood portion of Imperial history. The spirits of myriad heroes still haunt the ruins of Overton. The fear that their sacrifice will not be remembered keeps them from their rest. Priests of the Empire; let the virtue fund reward these virtuous souls for their service and sacrifice.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (782-364); Margin of 418

===Judgement 24===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Grogfear Kraaida
* '''Judgement:''' For ten years Osgar Boarsnout has fought for the Empire with Courage and Loyalty. Starting as a simple footsoldier, Osgar was promoted to captain and then handpicked by Reidarr Bloodletter as their replacement as commander of the Heart of the Mark. For his unyielding Loyalty, Courage and Wisdom protecting the people of the Empire, the Synod awards Osgar 10 thrones. One for each year of service.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (418-446); Margin of 28

===Judgement 35===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Dolce di Sarvos
* '''Judgement:''' The Synod rewards Laurencio di Sarvos with Seven Thrones for his work supporting newcomers to Anvil, and in particular or the creation of the 'Deed of Debut'. The Deed of Debut is a document available to newcomers to Anvil that allows them to take advantage of a range of special offers provided by a variety of high-quality vendors in the League, including food, drink, archery, cicisbeos and more. This supports their introduction to Anvil, helps their money go further and supports the businesses and traders at Anvil. This rewarding could help spread this initiative to more vendors, more nations and support even more people newly arrived at Anvil.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (526-80); Margin of 446

===Judgement 36===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Jules von Holberg
* '''Judgement:''' Too often the labour and toil of Artisans goes uncelebrated and is taken for granted, yet through their efforts are the heros of the Empire are better protected and better able to fight for the Empire and show the Way. So I call on the Synod to reward Marcus von Temeschwar, lone artisans of the celebrated Sea Wolves, with Fifty Crowns for tirelessly working to strengthen and protect those to whom he is loyal.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (378-534); Margin of 156

===Judgement 37===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' 'Shacklebreaker' Thanmir Hrafnar
* '''Judgement:''' To reward Zadkiel de Couerdefer the sum of 20 thrones for their work to create a means of communication with the hitherto unknown nation of the Elakar. Zadkiel showed unfailing Pride in their own abilities and used these to acquire donations from citizens totalling 100 thrones used to acquire 40 rings of ilium needed to establish this communication. Zadkiel intends to use this rewarding to repay some of these donations.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (606-304); Margin of 302

===Judgement 99===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Sibling Amos of Tian's Return
* '''Judgement:''' Sibling Nekoda of the Shattered Tower has worked tirelessly to help new siblings at Anvil find their place within our great Empire - helping them achieve their ambitions with coins & liao from their own pocket. We call on the Assembly to reward them with 2 thrones so they can continue to inspire the next generation of virtuous heroes.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (850-246); Margin of 604

===Judgement 102===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Luciana Valesi
* '''Judgement:''' Thanmir Hrafnar was instrumental in funding efforts to open communications, raising over 100T to make this diplomatic outreach possible. He displayed great Prosperity in making this mission possible, fuelled by great Pride in our Empire. We request <u>10 thrones</u> from the virtue fund to reward these efforts.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (388-144); Margin of 244

===Judgement 104===
* '''Assembly:''' General
* '''Raised By:''' Aristeia Starchaser
* '''Judgement:''' For the past four seasons Serenus Starsong and the coven of Storm's End have used their own mana to fund the APs and rituals that have revealed to us the names of the stars - Oak, Web, Phoenix, and Great Wyrm. We award Serenus 20 thrones from the Virtue Fund in recompense with Pride and recognition of their Ambitions.
* '''Outcome:''' Upheld (478-432); Margin of 46

==The Virtue Fund==
The following represents the Virtue Fund of the Synod:
{|
| ''Starting Value'' || 3 Rings ||
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Tom Appleseed.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown, 7 Rings || Donation by Crassus, for the Sand Fishers.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown, 16 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 5 Rings || Donation by Lysimachus.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 11 Thrones, 4 Crowns || Donation by an anonymous individual on behalf of "A Prosperous Consortium".
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Beirth Martel.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 5 Rings || Donation by Alistair.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Maelfaisance Remys.
|-
| ''Income'' || 85 Thrones || The price paid in the Bourse Auction for the dose of True Liao.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 2 Rings || Donation by Finna.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Tom Appleseed.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 7 Thrones || Rewarding to Dolce di Sarvos following [[#Judgement 35|Judgement 35]] being upheld (a margin of 446).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 40 Thrones || Rewarding to Constanza i Kalamar i Guerra following [[#Judgement 18|Judgement 18]] being upheld (a margin of 418).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 20 Thrones || Rewarding to Thanmir "Shacklebreaker" Hrafnar following [[#Judgement 37|Judgement 37]] being upheld (a margin of 302).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 10 Thrones || Rewarding to Luciana Valesi following [[#Judgement 102|Judgement 102]] being upheld (a margin of 244).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 10 Thrones || Rewarding to Pontus Figures following [[#Judgement 6|Judgement 6]] being upheld (a margin of 30).
|-
| ''Donation'' || 2 Crown, 12 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Throne || Donation by Luca and a Marcher friend.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Veikko Bondforger.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown, 5 Rings || Donation by Belakov Zakharovich Prochnost.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Crown || Donation by Tom Appleseed.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 1 Ring || Donation by Lysimachus.
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 2 Thrones || Rewarding to Amos following [[#Judgement 99|Judgement 99]] being upheld (a margin of 604).
|-
| ''Rewarding'' || 10 Thrones, 1 Crown, 16 Rings || Rewarding to Aristeia Starchaser following [[#Judgement 104|Judgement 104]] being upheld (a margin of 46) - insufficient funds for full rewarding.
|-
| ''Donation'' || 4 Crowns, 2 Rings || Donation by the Secretary General of the Civil Service from the sale of writing implements.
|-
| ''Closing Value'' || 4 Crowns, 2 Rings ||
|}

==Doses of True Liao==

Five doses of [[Liao#True Liao|True Liao]] were disbursed this summit:
* One dose to Vesna Borkovna Prochnost as [[the Throne]]
* One dose in connection to the [[Lepidean Librarian|Lepidean University]] to Teleri Thornweaver via [[#Judgement 13|Judgement 13]]
* One dose to Idris Eternal by purchase in the [[Public auction|Public Auction]]
* One dose to Halwyn Splitroot by decision of the Gatekeepers
* One dose to Clytemnestra of the House of the Wanderer by decision of the Gatekeepers

==Special Considerations==
The following considerations should be borne in mind when bringing judgements before the Imperial Synod during the Spring Equinox.
<table class='wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed sortable'><tr><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Assembly'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Consideration'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Link'''</td><td style="background-color: LightBlue;">'''Duration'''</td></tr>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that prioritise the greater good over personal loyalties are less effective.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Statements that try to compel Loyalty will fail.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Revocations and Excommunications for disloyalty to the nation or Empire risk causing dissent.</td><td>[[Cardinal_of_Loyalty#Additional_Powers_-_The_Eyes_of_Loyalty|Eyes of Loyalty]]</td><td>Ongoing</td>
<tr><td>All Assemblies</td><td>Any mandate that does not pass with a greater majority will have limited or no effect on Urizen or Varushka. It is not impossible that a mandate might lead to a response in one of the two nations, but it won't lead to any immediate consequences for the people of the nation. </td><td>[[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Urizen_Assembly|Urizen Link]], [[Hard_and_suspecting#The_Varushkan_Assembly|Varushka Link]].</td><td>Ongoing</td>
</table>

==Alternative Mandates==
Prior to the summit, the following [[Mandate#Alternative Mandates|alternative mandates]] were proposed by members of the Synod.

{|
| '''Member''' || '''Link to mandate''' || '''Notes'''
|-
| Corey Wayfarer || [[Little_mercy#Reassurance|Little mercy]] ||
|-
| Morwenna Witheredrose || [[Little_mercy#Reassurance|Little mercy]] ||
|-
| Nathair Autumngale || [[The_Deer_in_the_Sun#Unnatural_Light_of_Day|The Deer in the Sun]] ||
|-
|}